10 Tips to Help You Survive a Year of Teaching.

I have been teaching for almost four years, and while I do not claim to have all of the answers, I have complied a list of all of the things I wish someone told me. That first year in particular, can be a doozie with germs, flus, bad eating habits and poor fitness. Actually, until a positive change happens, these bad habits can go on for years. I don't claim to be perfect... in actual fact I still struggle with a lot of these areas myself. But hopefully we can all work at it together to make better versions of ourselves.

Unfortunately for those International Readers, a lot of these suggestions include products that can only be found on Australian shelves. Hopefully you can find some substitutions.

1. Drink Plenty of Water!

It's really important to drink plenty of water. According to Better Health, women should be drinking 2.1 litres of water A DAY. I don't know about you, but I think thats is A LOT of water. 

So it's important to be prepared. You can buy drink bottles almost anywhere... it doesn't really matter which one you buy so long as it is BPA free. I prefer the alloy water bottles. A good one can cost you anywhere between $10-$15. However, it's worth the investment!

Now I try to drink my full bottle of water before lunch... this gives me something to aim for... a time limit to stick to. Then I fill my bottle up at lunch and try to finish that before I get home. If I can do that, I know that I am drinking close to two litres.

2. Eat Clean!

Eating healthy isn't hard... it just requires preparation. I find that if I put in the time and prepare my lunch, I tend to eat well and stick to my routine. But the week that we do the shopping late and I don't prioritise preparing our lunches... that's when I eat garbage.

I need to eat lots of fresh food so I weekly shop is necessary. I find it easier to prepare all of my lunches in advanced. I buy loaves of banana break, slice it, wrap it and put it in the freezer ready for lunches. I fill containers with grapes, so that I can quickly grab one and run out the door. Oats in the morning is a MUST however I don't always have the time to eat them... so I pack them with me and take it to work to eat. Green smoothies are also a great way to start the day. There are some very easy and TASTY recipes out there! My favourite is green apple, kale, pear, baby spinach and cucumber :) mmm

I try to steer clear of bread (because I love it) and instead make wraps using Mountain Bread. 

Sistema have a great range of BPA free, plastic storage containers, which suit almost any food/meal. I go a little crazy buying them... but it leaves me with no excuse for having a healthy lunch.

3. Take Multi Vitamins!

There are so many germs out there and you will come into contact with them all. Since being a teacher, I think I've had every flu and stomach bug that been around. Therefore it is super important to eat well (plenty of fresh fruit and veggies) and to take vitamins! I take a Swisse Multivitamin for women. 

Vitamins are one of those things you can't skimp on... Cheap can be very nasty. Check out Swisse to see their great range!

4. Keep Active!

URGH this is one I struggle with! I'm one of those people who have a gym membership but never go. I make a million and one excuses for not going (some of them valid), but I never make it a priority. It's something I'm working on... But it's tricky. At the moment I am going to a Body Balance class (Yoga, Thai Chi and Pilates all rolled into one class) twice a week. I go with a friend who is also a teacher. We don't talk work... We just encourage one another to go! I find the class really relaxing whilst working out and feeling like I'm doing something. I will slowly creep my way up to three classes a week and so forth.

Exercise is great for releasing all that built up tension. If you can't afford a gym membership, then try some Pilates at home or go for a walk/swim. Your physical health is just as important as your mental and emotional health.

5. Get Plenty of Rest and Relaxation!

According to the National Sleep Foundation, we need anywhere between 8 and 9 hours of sleep a night.

Think about it... If you wake up at 6am, you should be in bed at 9pm! I don't know about you... But I'm usually in bed two or more hours after that. By not having enough sleep, your stopping your body from completely recovering. Lack of sleep affects your concentration and ability to take in new information.

As teachers, we need to be on the game at all times!

6. Use Your Time Productively... Be Organised!

I find I waste A LOT of time doing stupid things... Like flicking through Pinterest! 

If there are 24 hours in a day... 9 hours should be spent on sleeping, 7-8 is taken up with work (and meetings, etc)... That gives us 7 more hours. If you take out the time it takes to exercise, cook dinner and do chores... You're not left with a lot of time. And you haven't even taken into consideration FAMILY TIME. I don't have a family... Yet... But I do have a husband and I'm sure that he'd like to spend time with me every now and then. 

But how do we do this? We need to be more time efficient. We need to make the most of our time! I have made a time table of things to do... chores AND family time. Work should come second, with family first! 

For some of us, this is a radical change so we need a structure to keep us on track. I have made a timetable which I am happy to send out as a freebie. Unfortunately I can't upload it here (can't figure it out), but comment below and I'd be more than happy to share it with you!

>>Comment for Weekly Timetable Freebie!<<

7. Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

Regardless of whether you have feet-related issues or not, shoes are so important. As a teacher, you're on your feet ALL day and if you're wearing uncomfortable shoes you're in for a shocker. Blisters, sore ankles, poor circulation, sore knees and hips, aching arches... All due to poor choice in shoes. And ballet shoes are the worst!

Aim to buy comfortable shoes with a proper arch. This is another thing you can't go cheap on. Cheap shoes never last long. Shop around... It's worth the time!

8. Be Prepared with a Survival Kit!

As a teacher you can never be caught out! Rainy day, playground duty and no umbrella... Uh oh! Paint spilt down the front of a white shirt... Uh oh! Killer headache and no pain killers... Uh oh!

You need to be prepared for everything and the best way to do that is to have a survival kit! 

In your kit/bag pack: an umbrella, a hat, spare shirt, sunblock, panadol, soothers, aquium, breath mints, bottle of water, feminine hygiene products, deodorant etc.

Be prepared!

9. Why Not Have a Work-Free Wednesday?

The name says it all. WORK FREE WEDNESDAYS. That means you need to leave work straight away (no talking, photocopying, marking...) and come home. Who cares if you just sit on the lounge watching TV all night... Wednesday nights are yours to just chill and be with the people you love.

Once you've mastered Work Free Wednesdays... why not move on to Work Free Fridays. Yes we have busy lives... but it's only as busy as we make it! You cannot live a life where you're thinking and breathing school 24/7. You will drive yourself insane. Yes your career will be with you for a long time... but your family will be with you longer. They should ALWAYS be your number one priority.

Remember to call your Mum and ask her how she is. She'll love that!

10. Dinner Dates!

If you don't have a partner... grab a friend and go out on a Dinner Date. It is so important to have that time with family/friends... it's also really nice to have a break from your house from time to time. Getting out is a great way to keep your mind off work. It's also a great excuse to catch up with the people you love and share quality time with them laughing. Make time for this one. I hear of so many people who feel friend-less and/or have issues in their relationships... so many marriages breaking down. Relationships are so important but they go two ways. Make sure you're holding up your side of the relationship!

Well that's my 10 tips... I haven't got them all under control yet... it's a work in progress! I would love to know what works for you (and maybe what doesn't work as well). Have a lovely year and remember DON'T WORK TOO HARD!

XX