Did you know that 50% of new teachers leave within the first five years?
That was the unfortunate finding from a recent study by the Alliance for Excellent Education. They said, “Teachers leave their profession for a variety of reasons, including inadequate administrative support, isolated working conditions, poor student discipline, low salaries, and a lack of collective teacher influence over schoolwide decisions.”
Obviously a lot of issues are beyond your control, but one thing that can help is to focus on taking care of yourself. Suggestions from the National Education Association include:
- Set healthy boundaries
- Remind yourself that not everything is on you
- Use exercise as an outlet
- Allow yourself to take time off when you feel overwhelmed
If you need additional ideas, here are 10 of our favorite self-care quotes. And remember, put your own oxygen mask on first!
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
Maya Angelou
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
Anne Lamott
“Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with.”
Mark Twain
“Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. ”
Lucille Ball
“When the well is dry, they know the worth of water.”
Benjamin Franklin
“People look for retreats for themselves, in the country, by the coast, or in the hills. There is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own mind. . . . So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself.”
Marcus Aurelius
“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.”
Anna Taylor
“In dealing with those who are undergoing great suffering, if you feel “burnout” setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best, for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself. The point is to have a long-term perspective.”
Dalai Lama