Tips to destress
By Hallie Meister
We all know that we work stressful jobs. Staying on top of the curricula, student behaviors, assessments, administrative protocols, observations, SGOs—the list goes on and on. Then we add on all the stressors at home such as death of a family member or friend, personal injury, pregnancy, changes in residence, and so many others.
Strategies to cope with stress
The Early Career Network held an event on March 2 at Wood Stack in Metuchen where they discussed stressors in our everyday lives and ways to manage that stress. The event also hosted Member Benefits and retirement program representatives who were available to talk to members and help relieve stress in other aspects of your life.
In work and in our everyday lives, we often end up feeling burdened, worn out and even burnt out. So how do you manage this stress? We all have our own ways to unwind at the end of the day and to de-stress. Try your best to engage in healthy stress relieving activities. Below are some positive tips that we learned at Wood Stack to manage our stress.
- Seek out friends for support and conversation.
- Engage in physical exercise—anything that gets you moving.
- Make time for yourself to relax and unwind.
- Determine what your source of stress is and work to change it.
- Try to change your perspective on the problem(s).
- Involve yourself in a hobby that you enjoy.
- Focus on the aspects of your life that you can control.
Be sure to follow @njea_earlycareernetwork on Instagram or the NJEA Early Career Network on Facebook to check out future Early Career Network events!
Hallie Meister is a first grade teacher and a member of the East Brunswick Education Association. She is a Team Central leader for the NJEA Early Career Network. To learn more, visit njea.org/ecn.