At this point in the school year, there is only one more break coming – summer break. Not only are you eager for the end of the school year, so are your students. The excitement for the finish line can make the remaining days seem long and cumbersome. As a school provider, you pour yourself into your students day in and day out.
Whether you are a school counselor, speech pathologist, or an interpreter these suggestions will help you stay calm and finish the school year strong.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO STAY SANE BEFORE SUMMER BREAK?
As a school provider, the ever-evolving demands on your expertise and time can be exhausting. By the time spring rolls around, you might already feel depleted.
While some of these suggestions found below might seem rudimentary, going back to the basics can have a lasting effect on your health and happiness.
In short, you can recapture your energy and head into the last few weeks before summer break with a positive mindset. (Spoiler, these are all things you can implement all year round, not just the spring). So let’s dive into how you can regain your sanity this spring.
5 Ways to Keep Your Sanity as a School Provider During the Spring
- Cultivate a Growth Mindset
At work, just as in life, having a solid mindset can make or break your success. Stress and negative thoughts often lead to burnout. This is why shifting your mindset should be your first step in keeping your sanity this spring.
What does mindset mean?
Mindset is defined as your thoughts and beliefs. A person has the ability to change their thoughts which ultimately affects the choices you make and your behaviors.
What is a growth mindset?
Carol Dweck, a psychologist defines a growth mindset as people who believe they can get better at something through dedication of time, effort, and energy. They don’t view challenges as obstacles but rather opportunities.
It’s important to understand how your mindset affects your work. Developing a mindset practice isn’t just for students. As school providers, you are empowered to instill a love of learning with your students. It begins with your passion and love of learning. Embracing the opportunity to use growth mindset language while you work will also translate to the students you work with. Over time, the words you say to yourself and others start to rewire your brain.
- Focus on One Daily Ritual
Instead of making drastic changes to your daily routine, pick one habit you already enjoy doing and do it everyday. For example, if you like taking walks, take one before or after school. If drinking warm tea in the afternoon brings you energy, make a cup of tea during your lunch break. Remember it doesn’t have to be anything new but rather something you already do. Think about incorporating it between classes, at lunch, or before and after school. It will allow you to find joy in small places throughout your day.
- Practice Self-Compassion
This goes along with shifting your mindset. Schedules are wild this time of year. It can often feel like you have to do it all. When you notice your inner critic or make a mistake, replace the criticism with what you would say to a friend who made a mistake or was harshly critical to themselves.
Repeat what you would say but say it to yourself (sometimes saying out loud feels good too). Remind yourself you are worthy of compassion. Compassion during the chaos of the spring.
- Commit to not over-committing
Yes, this is an obvious one, but important to say out loud. Commit to not over-committing both at work but also in your personal life. It’s ok to slow-down and say no to activities and events that drain you right now. Most importantly, there is no need to explain why you’ve chosen to not participate or attend.
Your classroom, desk, or office doesn’t need to be the best or perfect. Choose what is only essential right now.
A few questions to ponder:
- Is there something you can delegate that will free up your time?
- Is there something you can let go until next school year?
- What’s the cost if I say “yes”?
- The 80/20 rule
You might be familiar with this concept. If not, the 80/20 rule is based on Pareto’s Principle, that 80% of results come from 20% of actions. Think about what is going to move the needle during this short time left of the school year. Are there non essential tasks you can cut back on?
If you are not sure, here are a few suggestions. Practice brevity when you write emails instead of lengthy ones. Limit the number of times you check your email inbox. Perhaps you don’t need a beautiful bulletin board to convey what you want the student’s to learn. Think about the tasks you can minimize this spring. It will help you finish the tasks you have left before the school year is over.
By making small shifts in your mindset, focusing on one habit that will bring you happiness, and setting boundaries for your schedule at work and at home, you will cut down on many stressors during this time of year.
The aim is to not be perfect, but rather embrace what challenges this time of year bring and face them head on. Remember to speak kindly to yourself when you make a mistake or start to overthink all the tasks you have on your to-do list. These are a few ways you can mitigate challenges and bring sanity to your work and life this spring.
Are you a school provider on the brink of burnout and want a flexible work solution?
Connect with us to learn more about if this could be the right fit for you.
About Specialized Assessment & Consulting
Specialized Assessment & Consulting provides special education services, assessment, therapy and related services for schools nationwide. Our team includes school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, diagnosticians, social workers, special education teachers, teletherapists, and more.
Our providers enjoy flexible scheduling, full & part-time placements, PRN options, ongoing mentoring, ongoing support from our leadership team, peer-support, access to test equipment, and more! We are actively run and managed by a team of dedicated special education professionals who are passionate about partnering with our clients to support their staffing needs.
Specialized employs more than 200 team members serving more than 40,000 students in their mission to help every child reach their full potential.
For more information, including services and staff needs, visit www.specializedassessment.com
