STRATEGIES TO THRIVE
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ing and connectedness to something that is greater than ourselves .
Two tools that can be particularly helpful for cultivating long-term self-care and flourishing in teaching are the Self-Care Assessment and Self-Care Plan ( for a more extensive description of these tools , see Jennings ). For this assessment , the teacher thinks about a typical work week and writes down all the activities that they really enjoy ( e . g ., working out at the gym , reading a novel ). Next , the teachers reflect on and note the domain ( s ) of their personal development that the activity supports : ( 1 ) physical ( e . g ., exercise , relaxation ); ( 2 ) emotional ( e . g ., sharing a meal with a friend , seeing an inspirational film ); ( 3 ) intellectual ( e . g ., reading an intellectually stimulating book , attending a worthwhile professional development workshop ); and ( 4 ) spiritual ( e . g ., practicing mindful awareness , reading a poem , engaging in a service project ).
Consider the following prompts when completing the assessment and / or leading
“ Are there certain activities that you do not prioritize or make enough time for ? Which activities nurture your wellbeing and support your selfcare the most ?” a conversation or discussion with a teacher or teachers : Are there certain activities that you do not prioritize or make enough time for ? Which activities nurture your wellbeing and support your self-care the most ? If important activities are getting pushed to the wayside , what are some things you can do to incorporate these more into your life ? Are there brief or slightly adapted versions of these activities that could make it more manageable for you to fit these in ? What things are you not doing now that you would like to do more of in the future ?
After completing the assessment , teachers complete the Self-Care Plan , which includes detailing a manageable set of activities that support the four domains of personal development . The plan should be guided by the reflections on the Self-Care Assessment . For each activity , one should specify how much or for how long they plan to do each activity each week ( e . g ., walk two miles daily , meditate for five minutes each morning , remember my intention for the day while taking my morning shower ). It is important to remind yourself or the teachers you are working with to be realistic with this plan and to avoid being overly ambitious . Being overly ambitious can lead to feelings of selfdefeat or low motivation if activities are not completed or things don ’ t go as planned . Plans should be updated frequently ( e . g ., biweekly or monthly ) based on the needs and realities one is experiencing at the time .
Finally , it is important for those who support beginning teachers to be aware of and allo-
Page 26 Fall 2022 CSEE Connections