5 Affirmations for Teachers Who Do Too Much

Our job matters. There's no denying that. What we do, what we say, what we teach... everyday, it matters. But sometimes that burden becomes too much, and we can't stop working and we can't stop worrying. If that sounds familiar, you might be a teacher who does too much. I say this as someone who absolutely does too much myself, and is trying to stop. It's not good for us, and it's not good for our students. I love affirmations as a form of self care and thought I'd put together a list for my fellow teachers who do too much. Try setting one as the background of your phone or saying them to yourself in the morning on your drive to school. You'll be surprised how much calmer they make you feel. You can even download them and print them for free here.

1. Taking care of myself is important and necessary. You can't pour from an empty cup. If we don't take the time to take care of ourselves, we will burn out. And that's not good for ourselves, our families, or our students.

2. My time outside of school is my own. I feel rebellious even typing this, but it's true! Do we all do work outside of school? Absolutely. And I'm not saying we shouldn't. But know that you aren't obligated to do so, and that you have the power to make that choice.

3. My happiness is important. We all want our students to be happy and successful, but our happiness matters too. Remind yourself of that.

4. I choose to set healthy boundaries. I'm working on this myself-- know your boundaries, and stick to them

5. I am a priority in my own life. You matter just as much as your students do. They are so lucky to have you, but you need to prioritize yourself first.

Are you a teacher who does too much? How do you find that elusive work-life balance? Don't forget to download the affirmations for free from my Teachers Pay Teachers shop.

If you’re reading to dive deeper into self-care, check out my book, The Teacher’s Guide to Self-Care.