I was out at the beach spending a few hours in the glorious sunshine with a friend from school today when she introduced me to a family friend who also is a teacher.  When asked about how her summer vacation was going she took that common deep breath, and replied with how summer was like the weekend.

She went on to explain how June is like Friday, July is like Saturday and August is so Sunday.  This was perfect!

In June we are finishing our school year and excited for the possibilities the "weekend" has to offer.  We are often exhausted from a long and tiring"work week", but feel we must start the "weekend"off with a bang.

This takes us into July, the Saturday of summer.  We have trouble getting anything done first thing.  We are happy to laze around and follow our own inner time clock.  Some of us are up with the sun, using every waking moment to get things done, while others like to sleep late, lounge around, and refresh.  Monday seems so far away until August sneaks up on us.

August is the Sunday of summer vacation.  We remember what we planned on getting done and make preparations for the coming "work week".  There is often a bit of sadness and often denial that comes as the "day" progresses,that is mixed with the excitement of the potential of a fresh start.

How do we use this "Sunday" to prepare for the coming school year?

• If you've been working or just very busy during your summer, be sure to use some time for a day of rest.  Our quiet time alone helps us to hear what our inner self needs.  It is also a great way to spark our creativity as we get ready to plan.

• Clear some space for the new.  If July was all about the fun, now is the time to do a little work on clearing out the old that wasn't serving your purpose.  This might mean physically clearing out the old papers, old books or junk.  It might also mean clearing out duties that consume your time, but don't match you values or vision.  And it also might mean taking care of the little things that have been bugging you, like a leaky faucet, a messy trunk, or a broken drawer.  Little things like these zap our energy.

• Sundays are the time to look at the week ahead and iron our clothes, pack our lunches, etc.  In August it's time to make sure we have what we need to begin the year successfully.  Stock up on supplies, write out new habits you'd like to start, and organize your supplies, clothing, and daily resources so the new routine runs smoothly.

• Breathe.  If the end of summer is a difficult transition for you, please try to remember that while we can't control everything, we can do a great deal to create the autumn of your dreams.  What can you do to add pleasure to your fall routine.  Where can you set boundaries and find more time for you?  Take control and be a life creator!  Don't let the rest of the world decide your life for you.

Just as our students have different learning styles, I recognize that so do we.  The videos are another format that you can access for support and resources to help you to build balance before burnout.

Look for them to be posted soon here on my blog and check them out on YouTube.  I have plans of weekly short bits that continue building on the subject matter of teacher wellness and working on helping "The Whole Teacher"  "the whole you", so that you are better able to help your students and school.

Enjoy!

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.  ~Russel Baker

• Go slow.  Take this time to move slower on purpose.  Find one thing and really focus on it.

• Re-energize.  Now is the time for naps and self-care.  Take time to recuperate from the harried end-of-the-year schedule.

• Take the time to smell the flowers.  Summer in New England is very different from our gray February and Marches.  Appreciate the now!

• Be a kid.  What did summer vacation mean to you when you were 10?  Find your inner child and have some fun.  Ice cream melting down your arm?  Jumping salty waves?  Soaking in the sprinkler?  Whatever it is, find some time to fit it in.

• Enjoy the now!

• What will it feel like when you have this Balance Reserve Area built up?

How great will it feel?  What is the pleasure you will receive?  What will you be able to do differently?  How will this improve your relationship with your students and family?  How will this improve your teaching?

• Why can't I afford to not build up this Balance Reserve Area?

What is the pain I am feeling without this in my life?  What is not working for me now?  How bad will it get if I don't change?  How much more stress can I take before I am truly ill?

• What am I willing to do in order to build up this Balance Reserve Area?

What actions can I take right now?  Who are my allies in this process?  What are my resources?  What chances am I willing to take for my own health and peace of mind?  What changes am I going to make in my school routines?  What changes will I make in my daily life?

• What do I need to remove from my life to make room for this new Balance Reserve Area?

What isn't working for me anymore?  What relationships are toxic to my well-being?  What physical clutter do I need to remove?  What systems need to be in place?  What emotional clutter do I need to let go of?  What old beliefs no longer serve me?

2.  Teachers have access to lead a healthy life

Teachers tied with managers, executives, officials, and non-teaching professionals on the Basic Access Index, which measures, "access to resources and services needed to lead a healthy life" including access to food, shelter, and a safe and satisfying place to live.

What does this say about teachers?  Many agree that teacher salaries don’t match the hours of work you put in, the years of training required. or the position of responsibility you hold in society,  but the data clearly shows that we have enough to be able to access those basic needs.

I know that in certain areas of the country such as San Diego, California,  teachers may not be able to afford to live where they teach.  The cost of living is out of sink, but in most areas, they are able to live comfortably and safely. 

Many teachers are married and have combined income.  Younger teachers often have roommates.  It is clear that the longer you are in education, the better off you are.  This is a benefit that we often take for granted.  We know from our salary schedules our future earnings and they always improve.

What we don’t see in this survey is that many teachers supplement their income with summer jobs, after school committees, or tutoring.   If you must supplement your income, it is best to look for what gives you the most pleasure, adventure, or reward while avoiding those things that add undue stress, boredom, or exhaustion.

That could be a blog of it’s own. 

Check back soon for Part 3 – Teachers tied in top for emotional health!

I have had  a vision of a tool to help teachers build balance  and into their daily lives and it has finally come true.  It is a culmination of the best tools I have been using with teachers to help them beat teacher stress and puts it all into one neat package. 

Check out the video I created below, and don’t hesitate to let me know what you think. Please feel free to share with all the teachers you know. 

The planner itself is on sale at http://wholeteacher.com/store.  Check it out!

The data collected between July 2008 and June 2009 found that teachers bumped out business owners by either scoring the highest, or tying for the top spot among all 12 job types in how they viewed their overall well-being. 

The areas included how they evaluated their lives, whether they felt they had access to resources needed to live a healthy life, emotional health, and their likelihood to engage in healthy behaviors.  As Lopez and Agrawal noted, the results shed light on a variety of benefits and drawbacks to the teaching profession. 

Let’s look at the first area below:

1.  Teachers view life with more optimism

This was determined by The Life Evaluation Index, which is based on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale, where people were asked to rank their present and future lives on a scale of 0 – 10.  According to their scores, teachers were at the top of the list.

The Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale (Cantril, 1965) , developed by pioneering social researcher Dr. Hadley Cantril, consists of the following:

Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to 10 at the top.

The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you.

On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time? (ladder-present)

On which step do you think you will stand about five years from now? (ladder-future)

The results of the Gallup poll showed teachers to have higher rates of optimism.  I have been pondering this and have several thoughts on possibilities of where this comes from:

Teacher pay is usually based on a scale that increases with time of service and training  The amount they earn is usually increasing and 5 years can make a lot of difference.

As teachers we have a sense of renewal as each year progresses, giving us a great sense of hope for the possibilities.

Personal and professional growth and development are integral parts of a teachers life.  There are always new things to learn, new ways to do things, and chances for things to improve.

Our sense of purpose and desire to affect the lives of our students keeps us a bit "outside" of our selves.

What do you see as your reasons for optimism?  How would you rate where you are now and in 5 years?  Please comment below.