I have this thought multiple times a day: I’m hungry. Yesterday, I paused for a moment to ask myself, “Why am I ALWAYS having the ‘I’m hungry’ thought?” And while I KNOW that the answer is because I need food, prior to yesterday I hadn’t thought through what that really meant. Of course, I eat food throughout the day, I’d pass out if I didn’t! But yesterday’s reflection was a great reminder that shoveling a side salad in while talking with a student is not exactly……feeding myself. It’s akin to continuing to put gas in your car to get where you’re going, but not having the car regularly serviced for maintenance. Regular maintenance sustains your car long term, just as your lunch break will sustain you WHOLLY. There’s more to it.
Many of the issues that we see in the school counseling world are upsetting at best, traumatizing at worst. It’s important to take time within your day to utilize your lunch break to recharge. We spend our days encouraging others to care for themselves academically, socially, and emotionally. That can be such a difficult task that, I’m sure you’ll agree, requires recharging. Do you take the time to reflect on how our advisement might apply within? We’ll do it now.
In the whirlwind of high case loads, counseling duties, and a constant barrage of issues and requests, school counselors often find it challenging to stick to one task or complete necessary tasks in a day. We tend to sacrifice our lunch breaks as a trade-off for getting things done. How many times have you had your lunch prepared, ready to eat, only to have a student walk in with a need? Im sure you’ve had the experience of having lunch prepared, on your desk, food scooped, and at the cusp of your tongue and a student walks in upset. I’d be willing to bet that very few of us will see a crying student and turn them away. I personally will not. My thought usually becomes, “The food will be there later, my student needs me”. But unfortunately we caregivers tend to serve others at the expense of our own needs. I bet Maslow is rolling over in his grave right now thinking, “Like hello? Food! It comes FIRST lady!” So here’s what I think I need to work on, and if you too, are one who needs a self care reminder, check out these top 5 tips for school counselor self care:
- Off-the-Cuff Assessing: Do better at off-the-cuff assessing. Not every request that interrupts your lunch break is a level 10 need. If it falls between 1 and 5 and can wait, allow it to wait. Remember Maslow’s wisdom – food comes first.
- Exercise: Movement fuels the body and soul. Now obviously if you’re having a single overwhelming day, please don’t get up from your desk and run laps around the building, but incorporating exercise into your regular daily routine improves your overall physical and emotional wellness.
- Routine Self-Care Practices: Make self-care practices routine. Whatever activities improve your overall wellness should be a part of your daily life, not just a one-time solution when you’re feeling burned out. Consistency is key to sustaining well-being.
- Find Ways to Simplify Time Consuming or Difficult Tasks: Leading group counseling, classroom lessons, planning, advising, it’s all so much! Try not to reinvent the wheel.
- Connect with other school counselors to get tips.
- Use tried and true ready made resources.
- Learn to Say No: You do not have to say yes to every request that comes your way. Set boundaries and prioritize tasks within the scope of your role and expertise. Practice saying no professionally and respectfully. Here are a few examples:
“I’m not interested in doing that. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Not at this time, but I may consider it in the future.”
“Unfortunately, I’m not in a space to take that task on right now.”
Simply, “No.”
As school counselors, prioritizing self-care is essential for our well-being and sustainability in our roles. By implementing these strategies – off-the-cuff assessing, incorporating exercise, making self-care routine, and learning to say no, and simplifying tasks – we can better care for ourselves while continuing to support our students effectively. Remember, taking care of yourself isn’t selfish; it’s necessary for providing the best care for others. So, let’s make a pact, we’ll prioritize self-care and make it a fundamental aspect of our lives in the school counseling world.