3 Easy Self-Care Hacks for Teachers

By Sarah Legault, Teachers Empowerment Network — Turning Teachers from Surviving to Thriving.

Hey teacher — if you're reading this in February or March, you’ve made it through the longest stretch of the school year.

✨ Setting expectations

✨ Building relationships

✨ Fall assessments

✨ Conferences

✨ Behavior spikes

✨ Winter exhaustion

✨ Mid-year testing pressure

✨ And somehow… your coffee still isn’t strong enough

And somewhere in the chaos… YOU got lost in the shuffle.

February and March hit differently.

Routines loosen. Student stamina dips. Behaviors flare back up. Energy runs low. Admin expectations don’t.

And the emotional load? Heavy.

But here’s the truth no one tells teachers:

You don’t have a behavior problem. You have an exhaustion and systems problem.

And the fastest way to reclaim control isn’t a spa day.

It’s small, strategic habits that protect your energy and give you time back.

After two decades in the classroom, coaching hundreds of teachers, and navigating my own ADHD brain, these are the three micro-systems that saved me — and helped me finally teach inside a sustainable 40-hour week.

These aren’t fluffy.

These aren’t aesthetic.

These are teacher-tested, classroom-proof strategies that change your day.

Let’s reset the second half of your year.

Tip #1: Teacher Self-Care Begins the Night Before

If you fail to plan, you’re planning to burn out.

Your morning doesn’t start at 7:45.

It starts at 9:00 PM the night before.

A calm morning is the ultimate form of teacher self-care — and it’s built on repeatable systems.

Top TEN™ Evening Reset Checklist

(Because calm mornings are built the night before.)

✔ Lay out your clothes

Eliminate 15 minutes of decision fatigue. Fewer choices = more energy for teaching.

✔ Pack your lunch

A balanced lunch keeps your energy steady and your patience intact.

✔ Prep your teacher bag with the perfect insert!

Keys. Laptop. Planner. Materials. Ready to go. This trims 5–10 minutes and prevents the “where did I put that?” spiral.

✔ Fill your water bottle

Hydration supports focus. Small upgrades create momentum.

✔ Do a 5-minute tidy

I keep my Dreame mop/vac ready for a quick reset. Five focused minutes beats weekend overwhelm every time.

✔ Preview tomorrow’s schedule and to-do list

Update your checklist. Glance at your lesson plan. Close the mental loop. When it’s out of your head, you actually rest.

It’s not glamorous.

It’s not trendy.

But it gives tomorrow a fighting chance.

“I don’t have time… I’m still at school at 5:30.”

That’s not an effort problem. That’s a systems problem.

One small morning hiccup can derail your entire day.

If you want calmer mornings, clearer focus, and teaching that feels aligned instead of frantic…

📘 Grab the Free 6-Step Empowered Lesson Plan Guide

If you're staying late, reworking lessons, or feeling behind by 3:15… that’s not an effort issue.

It’s a planning system issue.

The 6-Step Empowered Lesson Plan helps you:

• Plan faster

• Reduce decision fatigue

• Prevent behavior before it starts

• Teach with clarity (not panic)

👉 Download the free guide — and reset your planning system today.

Tip #2: To-Do Lists Are Your Teacher Energy Protector

Teachers don’t need more time — teachers need better prioritization.

A clear, running to-do list:

✔ Keeps your brain uncluttered

✔ Prevents decision fatigue

✔ Helps you finish faster

✔ Stops the 10,000 open tabs in your mind

The shift? Realistic prioritization.

Not the “everything is urgent and I’m drowning” list.

Instead, use three simple categories:

1️⃣ Must-do today

2️⃣ Should-do this week

3️⃣ Could-do later

February and March are system stress-tests.

Energy dips. Behaviors resurface. Testing ramps up.

This is when strong systems matter most.

If your classroom feels like it needs a reset — not just a pep talk —

🌟 Grab the Ultimate Mid-Year Reset

A practical reset plan for routines, expectations, and classroom energy — ready to use tomorrow.

Tip #3: Self-Care Means Protecting Your Focus (and Your Peace)

Too much hallway chatter is costing you your weekends.

We love our teacher friends — but:

One “vent” becomes 20 minutes.

One “quick chat” becomes your planning period.

One distraction derails your afternoon.

Camaraderie = essential

Commiseration loops = draining

Your time = valuable

Protect it.

Self-care means:

✔ Uplifting conversations

✔ Clear boundaries

✔ “I love you, but I’ve got to finish this.”

✔ Efficiency equals energy

Finish at school… so you can live after school.

Think Self-Love, Not Perfection

You don’t need a personality overhaul.

You need micro-systems that stabilize your day.

✨ Plan ahead

✨ Make attainable lists

✨ Guard your focus

✨ Build systems that support you

You don’t need more hours.

You need better systems.

Start with your planning.

👉 Download the free 6-Step Plan and build a classroom that runs on clarity instead of chaos.

— Sarah

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only share tools and products I personally use or genuinely believe support effective teaching and teacher well-being.