Dawn Arseneau

September can be a strange month.

There’s the excitement of a new school year, new students, new routines, and the feeling that everything is starting fresh. But there’s also the sheer amount of stuff that comes with being back at school.

There are names to learn, emails to answer, lessons to plan, paperwork to complete, behaviours to manage, schedules to figure out, and approximately 47 other things that somehow need to happen before lunch.

And even when you love teaching, it can be a lot.

Sometimes the answer isn’t another productivity system or a better to-do list. Sometimes we just need to give ourselves a few small moments to pause during the day.

Here are 10 simple resets you can try when teaching starts to feel like too much.

1. three slow breaths

When something frustrating happens in class, it’s easy to react immediately. Before answering, try taking three slow breaths.

You don’t need to close your eyes or turn it into a meditation. Just pause long enough to create a little space between what happened and how you respond.

Sometimes that tiny bit of space is enough to change the entire interaction – or, at the very least, how you feel about it.

2. feet on the floor

When you notice yourself rushing from one thing to another, stop and notice your feet. Feel the floor beneath you. If you’re sitting, notice the chair supporting you.

Bringing your attention back to something physical can help pull you out of the mental whirlwind.

3. Look out the window

Teaching can involve a surprising amount of looking at screens, papers, whiteboards, and people.

Take a moment to look somewhere else.

Look out the window. Notice the sky, the trees, the weather, or whatever happens to be outside your classroom.

I find that even a very short change of focus can make me feel a little more present.

4. transitions as resets

The few minutes between classes. Walking to the staff room. Waiting for students to settle. Getting your coffee.

Instead of automatically filling every pause by checking your phone, thinking about your next class, or mentally running through your to-do list, use one of those moments as a reset.

Take a breath. Notice where you are. Let the previous class be finished before moving on to the next one.

You don’t need to find extra time for mindfulness when you can use time that’s already there.

5. conscious release

When we’re stressed, we often carry it physically without realizing it, clenching our jaw or tightening our shoulders.

Try letting one area soften.

No need to relax your entire body. Just notice what you’re doing and release a little of it.

6. single-task

Teachers are very good at doing several things at once.

Planning while answering an email. Eating lunch while checking messages. Walking down the hallway while thinking about the next three things that need to happen.

Every once in a while, try doing just one thing.

If you’re drinking your coffee, drink your coffee.

If you’re eating lunch, eat lunch.

If you’re talking to a student, give them your full attention for those few minutes.

There are studies being done now on the downsides of multi-tasking, and it seems there are more consequences than there are benefits. So do your brain a favour and single-task more often.

7. one-minute reset

Before the next group of students walks through the door, take one minute.

You could:

• take a few slow breaths
• stretch your shoulders
• drink some water
• look around the room
• notice five things you can see
• set an intention for the next class
• simply sit quietly

One minute might actually help you walk into the next class feeling more mentally prepared to be there.

8. notice the little things

Teaching can often mean having it all in our head at once.

Before you leave for the day, take a moment to notice one thing that went well.

Maybe a student finally understood something. Maybe you had a great conversation. Maybe you handled a difficult situation better than you would have a few years ago.

Just take a moment to appreciate it. And maybe start looking for those little wins a little more.

Mindfulness doesn’t have to mean adding another activity to your already-full day.

It can be as simple as noticing your feet on the floor, taking three breaths before responding, looking out the window, or giving yourself a quiet minute between classes.

Small moments count.

And sometimes, those small moments are enough to help us slow down, reset, and show up for whatever comes next.

Thanks for being here.

💛 Dawn