10 SEL activities teachers can use to manage stress levels

Be proactive about keeping your stress levels in check with these 10 de-stressing activities.

When not attended to, stress can cause damaging health issues like anxiety and depression, minimized attention, impaired self-regulation, and reduced learning preparedness. It can also lead to negative well-being factors, such as sleep and eating conditions. Extended exposure to poisonous stress also can have enduring mental and physical health effects.

Educators, in 2015 was tough. You are genuinely rock stars for getting your students (and yourselves) through a difficult year. This year will likely bring about brand-new challenges and challenges, and we understand sometimes you will feel stressed.

1. Identify your stress activates.

Make a list of all the stressors in your life, keeping in mind those you have control over and those you do not. Are your most significant stress factors long hours, seeing too much news media, or frustrations around school policies? Start dealing with the list by choosing one or 2 items you have some control over that cause you the most stress. Make a strategy to manage the stressor( s), make a note of a goal, and develop accountable steps to help you follow through.

Why it works: Knowing your tension activates and having a strategy to cope is an important action in managing your tension. When you are faced with a trigger, you will be far better geared up to handle the tension before it becomes frustrating.

2. Do deep breathing exercises.

Deep breathing lowers the production of hazardous stress hormones and helps your body unwind. For more about the value of reliable stress management, download Apertures whitepaper, “Reducing Teacher and Student Stress with SEL”

Why it works: Clinical research study reveals that routine deep breathing exercises can have instant outcomes. Deep breathing decreases the production of hazardous tension hormonal agents and helps your body unwind.

When not attended to, stress can lead to harmful health issues like stress and anxiety and anxiety, lowered attention, impaired self-regulation, and reduced knowing readiness. Extended direct exposure to harmful stress also can have lasting psychological and physical health impacts.

Try the equivalent breaths exercise. Take in for a count of four, hold it for a count of four, and breathe out for a count of 4. Continue this for a couple of rounds, and after that attempt adding an extra count (in for a count of 5, hold for a count of 5, and out for a count of 5). You can continue this workout until you feel your tension levels decreasing and your heart rate slowing.

You can continue this exercise till you feel your tension levels decreasing and your heart rate slowing.

Most current posts by eSchool Media Contributors
( see all).

Emily Doerr, National Marketing Manager, Aperture EducationEmily Doerr is a marketing supervisor with more than 5 years of demonstrated experience working in the education management industry. For more about the importance of efficient tension management, download Apertures whitepaper, “Reducing Teacher and Student Stress with SEL”

You may also like...