As teachers, who represent one of the most relationship-intensive professions, we must first nourish ourselves so that we can transfer the same energy and motivation to our students. If we act only to inform our students, this process can become mechanical after a while. However, if we can protect our own internal motivation and enjoy our profession, this will both satisfy us and inspire our students. This is how I define well-being: First, we must support ourselves, keep ourselves strong, and sincerely share this energy.
The Importance of Self-Care for Professionals
If you’re a new teacher or practitioner, remember that taking care of yourself isn’t just okay—it’s essential.
A teacher who does not feel well and neglects self-care will feel tired, exhausted, and worn out both physically and mentally. Physically, they may experience problems such as chronic fatigue, sleep problems, lack of energy, or frequent illnesses. Mentally, they may encounter situations such as lack of patience, loss of motivation, disappointment, or professional burnout. Kristin Neff emphasizes that burnout without emotional renewal can cause individuals to lose their capacity for compassion toward themselves and others (Neff, 2011).
This situation can affect the teacher's performance in the classroom negatively and cause difficulties in the relationships they establish with their students. Nicole Carman highlights that self-care is an act that affirms self-worth, enabling individuals to serve both themselves and those around them more effectively (Carman, 2018). By prioritizing self-care, you not only ensure your own well-being but also enhance your capacity to support others effectively. As Nicole Carman notes, self-care is a demonstration of self-worth, not selfishness. A teacher who neglects self-care cannot provide the best service for both themselves and their students.
Challenges in Relationship-Oriented Professions
People in relationships-based professions are at risk for burnout and emotional exhaustion due to the nature of their profession. Some of these challenges include:
- Many professionals, including teachers, are overwhelmed when they try to help more people than they can support.
- Working with individuals who have difficult or traumatic pasts can cause emotional exhaustion. Francoise Mathieu describes this condition as “a disorder that affects those who do their job well” and notes that it can result in physical and emotional exhaustion (Mathieu, 2007).
- Seeing the impact of their efforts on others can take time, which may create feelings of ineffectiveness and frustration.
- Angry, accusatory, or aggressive behavior from students, parents, or colleagues increases stress levels.
- Taking on work that does not fit the job description can create a sense of professional dissatisfaction.
Chapter 12 of The Resilient Practitioner highlights that practitioners describe professional stressors as being heavily tied to feelings of “being tapped out” due to challenging client interactions or administrative pressures (Mullenbach & Skovholt, 2000). Participants also reported that their own personal life crises and problems were a challenging area for them. They also believed that direct acknowledgment and resolution of these issues allowed for congruence between the personal self and the professional self (Mullenbach & Skovholt, 2000).
Kristin Neff states that self-compassion makes individuals more resilient to such challenges and allows them to see mistakes as opportunities for growth (Neff, 2011).
The Role of Self-Care in Resilience
For this reason, for individuals working in intense relationships, self-care is important for maintaining both their physical and mental health. Christina Chwyl states that self-care is not a luxury, but a practical method that helps individuals stay balanced (Chwyl, 2021). If you practice self-care, you can cope better with stress and reduce the risk of burnout or compassion fatigue.
Chapter 12 highlights the importance of maintaining clear boundaries in your work, including managing caseloads, setting limits, and structuring your workdays to avoid exhaustion (Mullenbach & Skovholt, 2000). They also stress the value of cultivating peer relationships for both personal and professional support, which can provide a vital emotional safety net and encouragement during crises (Mullenbach & Skovholt, 2000).
When you take care of yourself, you increase your well-being and provide more effective support to those around you. A well-established self-care routine increases job satisfaction, improves relationships, and allows individuals to have a more positive impact on themselves and those they serve. Nicole Carman recommends journaling, mindfulness practices, and nature walks as simple self-care methods that can be implemented in daily life (Carman, 2018). Such practices allow individuals to both renew their minds and strengthen their empathy and connection skills.
Practical and Holistic Self-Care Strategies for Balance and Resilience.
The Top 12 Self-Care Tips for Helpers guide offers practical strategies that we can easily integrate into our daily routines. Some of these strategies mentioned below are highly effective in supporting your physical, emotional, and mental well-being (Mathieu, 2007):
- Doing light exercises can be a part of your self-care routine. Yoga and a slow-paced walk relieve your stress.
- Strengthen meaningful relationships by connecting with friends, family, or support groups to renew your emotional energy.
- You can write down the events, feelings and thoughts you experience during the day. Putting thoughts on paper helps the complexity in the human brain go away and thoughts become more organized.
- Learning to say no is a huge favor you can do for yourself. You will reduce your workload and stress levels, and you will have time to do what is truly important to you. And the best way to learn to say no is to practice. Don't be shy, start saying no to things you don't want.
Beyond these foundational practices, there are additional strategies that can support overall well-being and resilience.
Various strategies covering all areas of self-care can be applied to support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. These suggestions, which can be applied in daily life, can help you maintain balance in both your personal and professional life.
- Try to spend quality and enjoyable time with oved ones and trusted friends.
- Develop your social support network.
- Limit your energy-draining or one-sided relationships.
- Be careful to distance yourself from your professional role in relationships outside of work.
- Use humor and develop positive internal dialogue.
- Create a skincare routine.
- Take short sleep breaks.
- Listen to music.
- Read a book.
- Make time for your interests, such as sports, music, and theater.
- Be curious about discovering new things.
- Consider psychotherapy.
- Accept the challenges and rewards of your job.
- Build supportive professional relationships with colleagues and supervisors.
- Be sure to stay up to date on relevant information and training in your field.
- Improve your work environment by balancing your workload.
- Develop good rest and break habits.
Incorporating these strategies into your routine can make a profound difference in your personal and professional life. Start small and build your self-care habits gradually to support resilience and well-being.
Creating and doing self-care routines is as necessary as our basic needs. When you do your self-care routines, tell yourself how valuable you are and never feel guilty.
In summary, self-care consists of a wide range of behaviors, activities, and strategies that enable an individual to maintain professional effectiveness and to enhance and maintain overall physical, spiritual, and mental well-being despite occupational stressors.
What are your favorite self-care practices? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below! Let’s create a community of support and inspiration for each other.
Wishing to share journeys where we can bring joy to others while enjoying ourselves and find happiness in making others happy!
Betul Ozaydin
References
- Mathieu, F. (2007). Transforming Compassion Fatigue into Compassion Satisfaction. WHP-Workshops for the Helping Professions.
- Neff, K. (2011). Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind.
- Carman, N. (2018). "Why Self-Care Is Vital to Our Mental Health." Mental Health Advocate Blog.
- Chwyl, C. (2021). "Self-Compassion: Why It’s Critical to Your Well-Being." Psychology Today.
- Skovholt, T. M., & Trotter-Mathison, M. (2016). The resilient practitioner: Burnout and compassion fatigue prevention and self-care strategies for the helping professions (3rd ed., pp. 231–253). Routledge.
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