The Rule of Two for Teachers Looking To Reduce Stress [Video]

As teachers prepare to head back to the classroom, we often set goals about mental health and personal well-being in addition to all the planning we do to educate our students. I have been a teacher for nine years, and every year I make plans to have a more balanced, sane school year. This year will be different, I think as I read articles with titles like “25 Mindful Tips for Your Classroom” and “Lunch Break Yoga for Teachers.” I have downloaded meditation apps, signed up for gym memberships, and purchased the viral glassware containers for meal prep. I convince myself I’m motivated and ready, but by October I feel the way I do every year: burned out, exhausted, and barely hanging on until fall break. 

It turns out our bodies can’t handle big lifestyle overhauls like the ones I was attempting every August. In fact, if teachers want to combat burnout and build …