This week's topic is stress and how to manage stress during some of the most stressful times teachers have ever experienced. In addition to what is going on in their classroom, teachers have to deal with angry parents who are banning books and censoring what teachers can and cannot say. And add to all that, a war is going on that keeps most of us riveted to the horrifying images that words cannot describe.
Kitty struggles to find anything new to say about stress management during the weeks that stress is the week's primary topic. But she has managed to find a new article to reference. It's not just for teachers. It is for anyone living in today's uncertain times.
The article that Kitty references is entitled "How to Stay Sane in an Insane World: Ten Tips for Reducing Stress During Troubled Times" by Valerie Carter, published on August 23, 2020, and updated on November 9, 2020. The link to the article is https://www.gracesigns.org/post/how-to-stay-sane-in-an-insane-world.
If you have questions or comments, email Kitty at kittyboitnott@boitnottcoaching.com. If you have suggestions for other topics you would like to hear Kitty speak to send them to her at that address.
Please rate and review Teachers in Transition, the podcast so that others can find it more easily.
This week's topic is stress and how to manage stress during some of the most stressful times teachers have ever experienced. In addition to what is going on in their classroom, teachers have to deal with angry parents who are banning books and censoring what teachers can and cannot say. And add to all that, a war is going on that keeps most of us riveted to the horrifying images that words cannot describe.
Kitty struggles to find anything new to say about stress management during the weeks that stress is the week's primary topic. But she has managed to find a new article to reference. It's not just for teachers. It is for anyone living in today's uncertain times.
The article that Kitty references is entitled "How to Stay Sane in an Insane World: Ten Tips for Reducing Stress During Troubled Times" by Valerie Carter, published on August 23, 2020, and updated on November 9, 2020. The link to the article is https://www.gracesigns.org/post/how-to-stay-sane-in-an-insane-world.
If you have questions or comments, email Kitty at kittyboitnott@boitnottcoaching.com. If you have suggestions for other topics you would like to hear Kitty speak to send them to her at that address.
Please rate and review Teachers in Transition, the podcast so that others can find it more easily.
Are you a teacher who's feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. Do you worry that you're feeling symptoms of burnout or are you sure you've already gotten there? Have you started to dream of doing some other kind of job or perhaps pursuing a whole different career, but you don't know what else you're even qualified to do. You don't know how to start a job search. You just feel stuck. If that sounds like you, I promise you're not alone. My name is kitty boy. Not I'm a career transition and job search coach. And I specialize in helping burnout out teachers just like you deal, not only with the stress and overwhelm of your day to a job, but to consider what other careers might be out there waiting for you. Join me for teachers in transition. In some episodes, I'll be speaking to stress management techniques and how you can manage your stress on a day to day basis. In other episodes, I'll be talking about career. What tools do you need to be successful in a job search when you're moving from one career into a totally different track. These are questions that you need answers to and I can help you find those answers. My name is kitty boy, not welcome to teachers in transition.
Speaker 2:Welcome back to another episode of teachers in transition, the podcast and the YouTube channel. This is episode 159. My name is kitty boy, not I am the owner of boy, not coaching. And the founder of teachers in transit. I specialize in working with burnt out teachers who are ready for a career change, but don't know how or where to start, but I'm also a certified stress management coach. So if you've listened to this podcast in the past, you know that I alternate topics each week, one week talking about stress alternating weeks. I talk about career transition. And this week the topic is stress management. I have shared with you in the past that I routinely find it difficult to find new things. So I found a new article. I'm gonna reach over you real quick. Pick up the second part of the article. You know, even though I'm a certified stress management coach, I feel like I've shared with you everything that I already know about stress and stress management. And so I struggle each of the weeks that I, I mean, I can talk about career transitional all year. No problem. But I, I do feel often that I have already said everything I know to say about the importance of taking care of yourself, the importance of managing your stress. And yet I know that when you are feeling the pressure of the world on your shoulders and you are day by day being pounded by administrators and parents to being told on a day to day basis, that you're just not doing enough. Even though you're giving 120% that it is, uh, demotivating, it is stressful. It is overwhelming and it can break you down. And so what I found today is an article. I'll share the link with you. Uh, when I, when I've done sharing it with you on the podcast, I'll share link in the show notes. This is an article written, excuse me, written by Valerie Carter. It is dated August 23rd, 2020. It's not specific to teachers. Oh, and it was updated November 9th, 2020. Um, not it specifically at teachers, its title is how to stay sane and in, in an insane world, think about that for a minute because it does feel like a lot of times we're living in an insane world. So how do you stay sane? How do you stay grounded? She's offering 10 tips for reducing stress during troubled times. And when this article was written, it was still early in COVID. We, we survived another eight to eight, 12 months to 18 months of COVID since November, 2020, we've had political unrest. We've had a war to break out in Ukraine and we have the Alro variant. And then now the big, whatever, 12, I, it is not B12 that's vitamin, but whatever this variant B is, that's coming around. That's so incredibly contagious that even people who've been vaccinated and boosted or testing positive for COVID. So it is, it does feel like it's a little insane<affirmative> so how do we manage ourselves? How do we manage our stress? How do we manage work and relationships and manage our health? What do we do to stay sane in what feels like in, in San? So here are her top 10 tips. I'm not recommending them in any particular order. I don't know that she is recommending them in any particular order, but here they are. Number one, create a daily schedule. It will provide a sense of normalcy. In fact, it may be the only thing that you have any control over each day, creating a schedule. If you don't keep to it, if you have a schedule, it may help. Routine is the same kind of thing. If you can develop a routine around something, number two, try not to complain. It doesn't make you or anyone feel better. Smiling does make you feel better though. Now complaining becomes a trap. Everybody's got something to complain about, and Lord knows. We can turn on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and see the people that are being referred to as Karen. I don't know if there's a, a male counterpart to the Karens, the Karens who are creating such disruption that they go viral when they've been videoed on airplanes for not wearing mask or, uh, losing it at the Walmart because somebody got something that they wanted or somebody's wearing a mask and that ticks people off, or they're not wearing a mask and that ticks people off. So we, we can get caught up in all the negativity and we can certainly find lots of things to complain about, but complaining in and of itself and fix anything. Think about it. When was the last time that you complained, just complained about something that anything changed the way to change. Something that you want to complain about is to change it or to decide that it's not all that important and move on, but com dwelling on it, complaining about it. Just creates more negativity. Number three, read a book, great books have a way of taking you to a different time and place. She's right. I've been reading more and I have been enjoying it. Number four, give back, donate your time or money volunteer safely or remotely. Helping can make others feel terrific as well as yourself. Number five, turn off the news. It can be toxic. Not that you don't wanna know what's going on in the world because you do. You should sorry, the dog, you should know what's going on in the world, but you don't have to watch the news 24 7. Again, there's nothing to be about it. Number six, get some exercise. Exercise raises your spirits and gives you some control of yourself. I've started walking every day, a minimum of 30 minutes, and it has made a difference in my outlook. So give it a try, connect number seven, connect with positive people in your life. As often as possible, it will help, but very important limit your exposure to negative people. They will bring you down. True. Number eight, plan something for the future. A day trip, a small GA ring or walk somewhere new. My boyfriend just asked me this weekend. So what's next on my, so we were going to a play. We went to see a play that had been postponed almost two years because of COVID. And so yesterday we went and, and while we were sitting there, he said, so what's next on our social calendar? Cuz he likes to look forward to something. So I told him what was next. And then today I made plans for us to attend another play later in the summer. So we like to plan things that we can both look forward to spend number nine, spend time in nature, anywhere outdoor. If you can near water trees, mountains, flowers, or animals, pay attention to the sky. Sunrises, sunsets, clouds, stars, and the moon. You will feel greatly revitalized this morning. When I went on my walk, I commented I was on the phone with a friend and I commented what a beautiful morning. It was barely a cloud in the sky and it was the perfect temperature. The sun was out. There was hardly any breeze yesterday. It was really windy and cold and it cut through you today. None of that, it was beautiful. And I enjoyed every minute of it. Number 10, close your eyes and meditate or pray. If you count your blessings, you will be reminded of all that is good in your life. Focus on those and be grateful. So nothing new. I've probably talked about one or a combination of these strateg strategies in the past, but a little bit different perspective. Something to share that might help. One of one or more of these strategies may help you in your day to day, struggle to deal with same, same in an insane world. So do what works for you, whatever it is, if it makes you feel. I shouldn't say that short of over drinking, doing drugs. Overmedicating those are not helpful strategies. So not whatever it takes, but healthy ways to tackle your stress is what you're looking for. Things that you can do that will make you feel more in control of your day to day life. That's what you're looking for because in order to feel grounded, you need to feel safe. So that's it for today. Apologize for the barking dogs, but they're just part of background in my household. So if you have a dog, you certainly understand. And on that note, I'm going to say, take care, stay well. If you are in an area where you need to be wearing your mask again, please do you wanna keep yourself safe? You wanna keep others safe? I've for my second booster. Cause I'm eligible for a second booster. If you haven't yet been vaccinated, I urge you to please be vaccinated, be boosted so that you can avoid this new variant that's going around. It's so incredibly contagious because you wanna stay well on top of staying in, in, in control of your life. So I'll see you next week.
Speaker 1:So there you have it. An episode of teachers in transition. I hope you enjoyed the information and I hope you'll plan to come back. Please subscribe to teachers in transition so that you can be alerted of future episodes. And let me know if you have any questions or topics that you would like me to specifically cover in a future episode, I'm more than happy to help with individual questions as well. So email me@kittyboyknotatcoaching.com. If you are interested in finding a new career or just enjoying your life more, this is the place to start. I'm kitty boy not. And this is teachers in transition.