Do Not Go Mental Over Covid-19

If you are anything like me, you are experiencing many different emotions right now. But chances are we are all marveling at how different the world looks than it did a few months, weeks, days, even hours ago. Big events canceled. Travel bans. School closures. Toilet paper becoming the nation’s hottest commodity.

This post is not about health measures or containment or COVID-19 symptoms. It is not about curriculum or technology recommendations. I am not going to talk about flattening the curve or social distancing or exponential growth. The 900 million other articles, posts, and podcasts can cover that.

This is about taking care of yourself and your mental health during COVID-19.

I love educators, and even in the best of times, I am concerned about our self-care. But now, when we’re all taking on the stress, anxiety, and fears of how a global pandemic will affect our children, it’s more critical than ever to remember we cannot adequately take care of other people if we are not taking care of ourselves.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers, school administration, and other school employees have remained acutely focused on supporting their students and continuing to do their jobs. In most cases, this meant teaching, caretaking (whether for children or other loved ones), and continuing to work through the same challenges that everybody else faced.

I recently read a 2019 study conducted by the Nuffield Foundation, which said that around 23% of teachers today suffer long-lasting mental health problems, up from just 14% in the 2000s. When you look at those numbers, it is downright alarming that out of every four educators is battling some form of mental health concerns. While resources related to mental health have been (rightfully) front and center for supporting students, parents, and others, there has been less focus on maintaining the mental health of the educators trying to find balance in our new way of living and remote teaching.

To address this concern, I have put together a list of mental health tips for educators to supply help during COVID-19.

Control the Controllable.

We have all had to learn certain things we cannot control right now: who will be affected by COVID-19, whether it will be you, how things will evolve. But some things we can control, like how you spend some of your time, what you choose to prioritize what types of media you consume (and how often), your mindset, to name a few. By focusing on the things that you can control and prioritize healthy ones, you can help put your mental wellness front and center.

Make Time for Self-Care.

More than ever, we are acutely focused on remote teaching, physical health, and preventing illness– washing hands, social distancing, and engaging in healthy practices. But it is just as important, for maintaining mental health, to try to make time to prioritize the other things that help us feel balanced: for some, it is exercise, for others, it is reading, journaling, meditation, or spending time doing a hobby. If you are not sure what you can do for your self-care, merely the act of doing something can help support your mental health.

Get Your Body Moving.

One of the biggest challenges for many is learning to be sedentary. As someone who lives with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, I must move around. One tactic that I use to cope with is to set a timer or create breaks for myself specifically to move around. Some suggestions are moving around your house or walking around your building or neighborhood– obeying physical distancing recommendations, of course. Anything to get your body moving will help maintain your mental wellness.

Model Self-compassion.

More than ever, we need to be incredibly kind to ourselves to help maintain mental wellness. We teach students this all the time– the basics of self-compassion, kind self-talk, and growth mindset. Now is the time to turn it inwards. In doing so, you will benefit your mental wellness and be able to model it for others.

Set Reasonable Expectations.

Collectively, we need to acknowledge that we are amid a pandemic, and things are different, and that is okay. We cannot expect to be as productive, or on top of it, or together as we once could. Suppose you are one of those, like many, trying to balance educating with caretaking or teaching your students. In that case, there is no way you can be all things to all people all the time. By setting small, realistic goals and expectations around what you could be capable of, you will be setting yourself up to feel much more fulfilled and help maintain your mental health.

Communication is Vital.

Let people know what is going on– especially colleagues and supervisors. By being transparent about what you are experiencing, and with what things may be helpful, you can bring them in and potentially expand your network of resources and support. You may also be modeling healthy communication for other colleagues to follow suit.

Be unapologetic.

I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but that is right, I said, be unapologetic. It is up to us to change the “I’m sorry” culture in which we live. During this time, consider how often you apologize, and ways you can stop. Be unapologetic about taking time for yourself, setting realistic goals, setting boundaries, and being clear and transparent about what you are capable of (and what you need). This is one of the hardest things to do for many, especially myself, but oh so essential for maintaining mental health and wellness.

Dedicated Workspace.

A mentor once taught me a psychological trick that helps you be both more productive and to disconnect from work more efficiently. When working from home, I quickly fell into an unhealthy balance between work and life, especially when working in the areas of my home in which was also a living area. Creating a dedicated workspace: even if it is just one corner of your home or classroom that you designate as “work only,” you can do two things: Send an outward message to those in your life that when you are in that space, you are working and an internal message to your brain that signals when it is work mode and when it is time to disconnect.

Set Office Hours.

By controlling and identifying specific times in which students, parents, and colleagues can reach, you will be able to set boundaries while teaching and provide a designated time in which they can contact you. Some districts have done this work for us; I am thankful that my school district has supported this concept. For others, setting office hours may need to be something that you do yourself to help maintain our mental health.

Reach Out No Matter What.

If you feel like you are having a tough time, you are struggling in any way with enjoying things, balancing your mood, or finding time to take care of yourself– Please reach out to someone. Educators can also utilize all the resources that we share for students and their families. I have provided information at the bottom of this post if you need it, and Psychology Today has a fantastic therapist directory. Most health insurance can also help you locate a counselor, most of which have switched to offering telehealth services. What we are experiencing right now is hard– and trained professionals across the globe continue to mobilize to serve as front line responders for our minds in the same way doctors have for our bodies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are living through a pandemic that most of us could never have imagined. And, as I have shared, educators are not in the best emotional shape. Today’s teachers, counselors, and school leaders experience more significant anxiety, stress, and burnout than ever before. If we hope for the best, more educators will fall by the wayside. Fortunately, an increasing number of schools see the benefits of mental health support, not just for students, but for educators’ development.

The time has come for educators to address the missing link in what will help us thrive—a greater focus on everyone’s health and well-being. If we want to be successful—both personally and professionally— schools must be a place that brings out the best. Still, most importantly, we must bring out the best in us.