It is that time of year where everything seems to be happening all at the same time! Final productions are opening and closing, then strike, then cleanup. No sooner after the final curtain falls you are deep in planning what to do for the next season. Student final projects and portfolios are coming due and will need to be graded. Administration is breathing down your neck to get all of your grades into the grading portal. Planning for end of year celebrations, awards, Thespian inductions, thanking the outgoing members your parent group for all their support over the years. Fundraising for ITF, making sure everyone had their paperwork in, finding chaperones, arranging travel to and from. It feels like you are the engineer on a runaway locomotive going down a hill with no breaks and you are wondering what is going to happen when you hit bottom!
STOP, slowdown, relax, take a deeeeeep breath!!!
We know, in the back of our minds, that all will be well and everything will get done. BUT, what about you? Have you taken the time to take care of yourself?
Self-care is vitally important, not only to you, but to your students, academic community, and your family. If you are not taking care of yourself, you will run out of energy, get burned out, and possibly damage your health. All of us need to find the ME moments. I know, I know that is easier said than done, because we are responsible people and want to take care of everyone. Well, everyone includes you.
Odd as this may sound, for myself I programmed ME time into my digital calendar with a reminder that it was time to take a breather and do something calming/relaxing to take my mind off of my worries. When I got the reminder, I had to discipline myself to stop, pull the plug completely and step away from whatever it was I was doing. At first this was difficult, because I needed to ……….. Fill in the blank, there was always something I urgently thought I needed to do.
When I discovered that these breaks actually refreshed me, brought my stress level down, it became easier to break away.
My little sojourns took many forms, a nice cup of tea or coffee, sitting on the deck and listening to the birds, a before dinner cocktail, reading a book (paper only no digital reader), and sometimes a power nap.
Regarding the reading, I'm an avid Kindle reader as I find it convenient on long trips to have several books available. However, I found that I was too tempted to answer the notifications I got on my digital devise and the whole reason for the break was to unplug. And there is something very tactile in turning the actual page as you are reading.
I will also encourage you to completely take off time during your summer break. Do something fun for yourself and your family. Recharge those batteries, take time to smell the roses, let the reservoir of wellbeing refill, and breathe a sigh of contentment.
Self-care should not be ignored. Find the mojo and method for your ME time. You'll be glad that you did, I guarantee it.
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Stewart Hawk
Washington State Thespian Co-Chapter Director
206-465-4568
stewart.hawk@gmail.comhttp://wathespians.org------------------------------