The school break has ended and both students and teachers are beginning a new academic year. Like any other place, schools have their own set of activities and responsibilities which can affect your mental health.
Whether you are a teacher trying to manage the academic and emotional needs of your students or a student balancing classes, assignments, taking care of your mental health is very important.
So, in this article, we will discuss 12 essential mental health tips that will help you take care of your mental health either as a student and as a teacher.
6 Essential Mental Health Tips for Students
As a student, you have a lot of responsibilities for every academic session. Whether it’s trying to get good grades, keeping up with classes, meeting new teachers and students or even reuniting with familiar faces, the back-to-school experience can sometimes be both stressful and overwhelming.
To avoid feeling pressured by all these responsibilities, it is very important that you learn to prioritize your mental well-being. Here are 6 mental health tips to help you do that:
- Organize your Time Effectively: For a student, time management is one of the most important skills you need to balance all your school responsibilities without being stressed out. You need to know how to manage and allocate your time between attending classes, doing assignments and extracurricular activities.
To do this, create a daily schedule and allocate a time to study, do your homework and assignments, relax, etc.
- Practice Self-Care: Self-care include activities that you can do to help you relax and unwind. Everyone has to make time for self-care including you, so you don’t get pressured or frustrated by academic activities
As a student, some self-care practices you can do are:
- Taking part in sports like football, basketball, etc.
- Exercising e.g taking a walk, running, etc.
- Joining school clubs and associations e.g debate clubs.
- Practicing relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, etc.
- Journaling regularly.
Taking regular breaks is a good way to reduce stress and manage academic pressure. Remember, all work with no play makes jack a dull boy.
- Live a Balanced and Healthy Lifestyle: As a student, it is good to strive for academic success but you shouldn’t get so obsessed with it to the point your health is affected.
For example, reading throughout the night without sleeping might benefit your academics but at the expense of your mental and physical health.
So, try to create a balance. Sleep at regular hours. Try to include healthy and nutritious foods in your diet like vegetables, fruits, etc.
Also try to exercise regularly and go outdoors. This will improve your mood and help you relax.
- Set Realistic Goals: This is very important as a student. It is okay to have high academic goals but it should also be realistic. Setting an unrealistic academic goal can be very detrimental to your mental health and physical well-being.
For example, if you try to meet an unrealistic academic goal and it fails, you might get anxious and depressed. So you need to create a balance. Set goals that you can achieve without your health suffering from it.
- Ask for Help: As a student, your friends, parents and teachers are there for you. If you have problems in your academics or social interactions, tell your teachers and parents.
If you are finding it hard to cope with your academic responsibilities, do not be afraid to ask for help from your teachers, parents, counsellors etc.
You can even seek professional help. For example, at Mycarebuddy, we offer therapy services, academic guidance and emotional support to students.
- Connect and Relate: While it is good to focus on your academics, there is a place of social interactions. Do not be so obsessed with grades that you keep to yourself all the time.
Relate with your classmates and friends. This is very good for your mental health and it would help you improve your mood.
ALSO READ : 10 Self-Care Practices to Help You Relax and Unwind
6 Essential Mental Health Tips for Teachers
As a teacher, you also bear a significant portion of the demand and responsibilities of every academic session. Whether it’s planning for the session, teaching or meeting your students’ unique needs, starting a new academic session can be stressful especially after a long break.
This is why you must learn how to take care of your mental health even as you perform your teaching responsibilities. Here are 6 ways to do that:
- Practice Regular Self-Care: As a teacher, you are constantly trying to meet the many needs of your students while impacting knowledge. Sometimes it can be difficult for you to handle and you can get frustrated. This can ultimately less to burnout. This is why it is important that you take regular breaks to relax.
If you can’t take breaks during the week, you can take breaks in the weekends. Try to do things that will help you relax such as:
- Take regular walks and go outdoors.
- Take up new hobbies and interests.
- Listen to relaxing music.
There are several self-care practices you can consider. It could even be simple as sleeping. What matters is that it is intentional and help you unwind and feel good.
- Develop a Good Work-Life Balance: To take care of your mental health, you must be able to strike a balance between your personal life and your work as a teacher. Set regular boundaries between you and your students especially in your time off work.
If you are not able to strike this balance, you might end up getting burnout. One way you can do this to avoid or reduce interactions with parents and students on weekends or after school hours.
What matters is that you do not let your work as a teacher take up all your time or make you neglect your own life or family. Have a life outside teaching.
- Connect and Interact with Others: Social interaction is a very good way to lift your mood and relax. Meet with other teachers, your friends and families. Attend social events and meet with people outside school.
- Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: An healthy lifestyle is key to having a good mental and physical health. The combination of a healthy diet, quality sleep and regular exercise will do wonders for your mental health.
- Manage Your Time: Organizing your time is very important as a teacher. From teaching, providing student support and even handling extracurricular activities, a teacher has so many responsibilities.
To avoid feeling stressed and anxious, you must learn to plan your time effectively.
- 6. Seek Mental Health Support: If you feel unhappy, frustrated or burnout from school and all its responsibilities, it is totally okay to seek help. Talk to fellow teachers and ask for help.
You can also reach out to mental health professionals. At Mycarebuddy , we offer both online and offline mental health services.
Conclusion
Mental health should be a priority for you whether you are a student or teacher. By implementing these tips above ranging from time management, self-care, etc., you will be able to cope with the responsibilities of school life either as a teacher or student.
To receive mental health support, feel free to reach out to us. We offer quality mental health services both for students and teachers.
You can also join our mental health community and receive quality and empathetic mental health support and resources.