Finish Strong, Start Refreshed: Protecting Educator Mental Health in May and Beyond
- Ed Spurka
- May 7
- 8 min read
Strategies for Educator Well-Being
In 1949, a group called Mental Health America (MHA) launched a national campaign to raise awareness about the importance of mental well-being. The month of May is also a busy month for teachers and all educators as they scramble to the finish line of the school year and reach summer vacation. Teachers spend their time grading papers and ramping up the opportunities for their students to demonstrate they have mastered the standards required to advance to the next grade level. Teachers spend countless hours and emotional energy worrying about meeting the expectations of their administration and their end-of-year evaluation, in addition to all the end-of-year grading. The end of the school year is hectic, and if we neglect our physical and emotional health, we may find ourselves exhausted by the time we get to summer.
What if it were possible to protect your mental health and catapult yourself into summer rather than limping into exhaustion? What if you could celebrate the end of the school year and jump into summer with both feet and be emotionally ready for the time off? Wouldn’t this be better than checking how many school days until you can breathe again? I believe that if you are intentional in protecting your mental health now, not only will the end of the year be more fulfilling, but you will have more time this summer to enjoy! I will share several tips that can help you protect your mental health in May and make you a valuable participant in Mental Health Awareness Month.
MAKE GRATITUDE A FOCUS
“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see."
Mary Davis
I ran into a friend of mine last week and told him about my upcoming book titled The Joyful Educator, and he told me that the key factor to having a joyful life is gratitude. I agree with him and believe that gratitude is a contributing factor to joy and helps shift your mindset from what is lacking in your life to what you are thankful for, which is good in your life. A key way to protect your mental wellness and have joy is to show gratitude for even the small things, like when someone holds the door for you, or you see a student pick up a piece of trash, or a colleague asks how your day is. Thank them for investing in you or for just being a good citizen.
Here are some other things you can do to show gratitude:
Write “thank you” notes to your students acknowledging their positive behavior, performance, or progress.
Have your students do a gratitude activity, such as writing a “thank you” note to their parents or having your class reflect on what they are most grateful for.
Participate in end-of-the-year awards ceremonies and acknowledge students for their achievements.
Have your class do something special for the maintenance workers, office staff, or other support positions that often go unappreciated.
Treat your friends and close colleagues to breakfast or lunch to show your appreciation. We all like to feel appreciated, which helps show others you appreciate them.
VISUALIZE THE INSPIRATION YOU NEED
“Inspiration is hard to come by.
You have to take it where you find it.”
Bob Dylan
When we are busy at the end of the year, we often have our heads down and focus on the work at hand. But if we lift our heads up, we can see that things all around us can inspire us or bring us great happiness and joy. We must intentionally look up and use our senses to hear the birds and see the beauty of the spring flowers.
Here are some things you can implement immediately:
Wake up in the morning and read an inspiring quote; they are easy to search for on social media.
Surround yourself with inspiring quotes and phrases by posting them on your bulletin boards.
In addition to the learning objective on the board, place an inspiring quote, phrase, or song lyric that can engage and inspire your students.
Make a happy playlist or listen to an inspiring podcast on the way to work and home.
Volunteer at the animal shelter or participate in a service activity that inspires you.
PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE
“If you don’t take care of yourself,
you’ll have to visit people who do - called doctors.”
Unknown
This quote spoke to me and reminded me of the importance of taking care of ourselves. Prioritize getting a good night’s sleep and eating a nutritious breakfast before you head off to school. Stay active and exercise, take a five-minute walk when you need a break from grading papers. Protect your time to do the things that bring you the most joy. Keeping routines and making time for yourself will make you much happier in the classroom. If you model self-care, you will be setting a positive role model for your students.
ASK FOR HELP IF YOU NEED IT
“Be not afraid of discomfort. If you can’t put yourself in a
situation where you are uncomfortable, then you will never grow.
You will never change. You will never learn.”
Jason Reynolds
It can be difficult asking for help, but if you have any challenges or any problematic situation you are going through, chances are someone else has been there. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; educators in general are always willing to help. Teaching is a relational business and my hope is that you are surrounded by colleagues and administrators who can help you. Asking for someone to cover your duty provides an opportunity to pay them back, and asking for advice on how to navigate a parent issue can give you another perspective on how to handle the situation. The best thing about asking for advice is that it’s free, and you don’t need to use it.
BE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE
“Do what you can, with what you have, with where you are.”
Theodore Roosevelt
I love the saying, “Be where your feet are,” so much that I once bought my entire teaching faculty bracelets with this saying on them. My hope was that it would help remind them of the importance of sustaining a healthy work/life balance. When my teachers were home on the weekends, I stressed the importance of personal time and the importance of getting their minds off work. The end of the year is extremely busy, and there is always work to be done, but when you're with your family and in front of your students, give them your whole focus. Attend the celebrations at the end of the year, whether you are invited or not. 8th-grade promotion and graduation can be inspiring celebrations, and being fully present can serve as a reminder of the impact you have as a teacher.
START PLANNING YOUR SUMMER
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act,
but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.“
Anatole France
Have you ever felt like the busier you are, the faster time goes? The end of the school year is busy with after-school activities, student celebrations, and planning for the next school year. I remember walking into many summers, and my first goal was just to breathe! Realizing that the summers go by so fast, I learned just how important it was to have a plan for summer. Having a plan for your summer months will serve you well and take away unnecessary time during the summer trying to figure out what you want to do.
Create a plan for the summer, which includes:
Downtime for reading a book, having a day to binge a series, or just sitting on the back deck of your house or apartment. You need to project downtime to rest your mind and body.
Activities that are fun or trying something new. Joining a cornhole league can be good for our relationship with your friends and gives you an opportunity to meet new people.
Time for vacations, whether it is a week-long beach trip or a day trip to the mountains. I learned how important it was to try to protect two weeks in a row for a vacation, whether I went somewhere or not. For me, it took me a whole week to get into vacation mode, and it made my second week much more peaceful and enjoyable.
Opportunities to start new routines, like walking in the park or joining a morning book study. Do something you didn’t have the time to do during the school year.
The date you return to school, and build in activities that celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year. This will help you from worrying about work over the summer; there is a time and place for everything.
MEDITATION AND REFLECTION
“Meditation is bringing the mind home.”
Sogyal Rinpoche
Build in time for meditation and reflection to focus on the important things in your life and the things that bring you the most joy. Especially during the busiest of times, it is critical for you to take care of your mental health by practicing breathing and activities like yoga that can calm your mind and body. Opportunities to clear your mind and reflect on the important things in your life can be personal and different for everyone. Some people need a quiet space with no distractions, some are more visual and benefit from sitting under a tree observing nature, or some need to be physical, like riding a bike or walking 18 holes of golf. Taking time to rest your mind is important to protect your joy in the busiest times of the school year.
In addition to these tips, I am also providing you with a sample of tips from my book, The Joyful Educator. This excerpt is from chapter 6, “The Things You Can Do To Protect and Sustain Your Joy,” which provides additional advice on how to protect your mental wellness and joy in May and throughout the year.
MAKE YOUR ATTITUDE YOUR PERSONALITY
Wave hello to your neighbors and smile everywhere you go. Ask the servers in a restaurant if they’re having a nice day, leave bottles of water on your front porch for the Amazon driver, and carry a case of water in your backseat; for a homeless person asking for help when you are stopped at a light. Being positive is something you can do even when you don’t feel like it. The old saying is, “Fake it until you make it.” You will be surprised how contagious being positive can be. When you pay it forward at Chick-fil-A, chances are they will pay it forward to the person behind them.
BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE
“Confidence can be your SUPERPOWER.
You need to look confident even when you’re not.”
Unkown
Confidence is something you can build through experience and practice. Public speaking is one of our top fears, and the best way to get better at public speaking is to do it. Don’t be afraid to try something new, whether it’s a new activity with your class or you or you take on a new hobby, like pickleball. Trying a new activity in the classroom that fails is not failure. It is an incredible learning opportunity, and trying a new hobby can be fun, even if you’re not that good at first.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH
If you don’t have your health, you will be severely limited in what you can do. A balanced diet provides the body with the nutrients it needs to function optimally, supporting energy levels; and mental wellness. Regular exercise strengthens the heart, improves circulation, and boosts physical fitness. Exercise also relieves stress and promotes mental wellness. Make sure you see your doctor regularly to get your blood pressure and other vitals checked. Your doctor can help provide guidance on your nutrition and level of exercise.
I wish you a great end to your school year and an amazing summer!
For more information on how to protect your mental health, find more joy in your work and personal life, or share your ideas with other educators, please visit me at
Be Joyful, my friend!
Dr. Edward J. Spurka
"Supporting teachers today shapes tomorrow's leaders."
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