I see you frantically typing, “How do I rekindle my passion for teaching”.
Do others in education make it look like it should be a quick and easy thing to do? Ever wonder what their secret is?
Most likely, they’re using some variation of the strategy I’m about to share with you. I call it my Three Bs – Brain, Body, and Boundaries.
Luckily, I’m not one to gatekeep passionate teaching success.
So grab a cup of tea or coffee and let’s get into how you can achieve a renewed sense of joy in your teaching by the end of the semester.
Clarify Your Personal Joy Goals
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the strategy, we have to ensure we know where this joy journey is going.
If you’ve struggled with rekindling your passion for teaching in the past, it may have been because of a lack of clarity around what you really want.
Here’s how you can clarify your goals around your passion for teaching. Ask yourself:
- What am I looking to achieve in my classroom or work?
- Why is this achievement so important to me?
- Is this achievement realistic given my current circumstances and resources?
Once you answer these questions, you will have a clear guiding light as to where this journey of rediscovering your joy is going.
Freebie Time: Do you want to spend more time on goal setting? You’re in luck! I created a free goal planner. Click here or grab it now so you can get started >>
Download your FREE Goal Planner now >>
What is the Brain, Body, Boundaries Strategy?
If you’ve looked at how to rediscover your joy before, you may think it is a tired or out-of-reach idea for the realities you face in your teaching journey.
Instead, using this strategy is a holistic framework to support you across all areas of your life.
To put it simply, the Three Bs – Brain, Body, Boundaries – is an approach focused on supporting your mental, physical, and energetic well-being. It’s a way of refocusing your mindset and behaviors to what is essential for overcoming burnout and rekindling your passion for teaching.
The Only Strategy You Need: The Three Bs
If you’ve followed along, you’ve already nailed down your joy goals.
I may have tricked you because we already took care of goal setting above. See how easy that was? High-five!
Seriously, I love checking things off of my to-do list before I even get started, don’t you? So let’s keep the momentum going and see what else we can cross off that list.
Ready? Let’s dig in.
Three Bs Part #1: Be Present with Purpose
Studies have shown that educators who prioritize mindfulness and intentional engagement with students experience higher levels of job satisfaction and improved classroom dynamics.
There is also a strong correlation between mindfulness practices and overall job satisfaction.
Educators who engage in mindfulness exercises, such as meditation or reflective practices, are more likely to have a strong sense of purpose and passion for their work.
Mindfulness enables you to cultivate a deep sense of presence, where you can be fully engaged in each moment of your teaching. This heightened awareness allows you to experience more satisfaction along with creating a calm and connected learning environment.
As you reconnect to the joy of teaching, you are better able to connect with your students through active listening, empathy, and genuine relationships.
When you can cultivate a present and mindful mindset, it will give you the mental resilience and enthusiasm to create meaningful connections and rediscover your passion for teaching.
My favorite way to instill this sense of presence and purpose is through intentional reflection such as journaling. I have a brilliant post explaining how to reflect on your teacher mindset in detail. Check it out here.
Oh and, if you want to fast-track your mindset, you can download my free cheat sheet to help you get started. You’ll have a quick guide for shifting your mindset through reflection and goal setting.
Download your FREE Teacher Mindset Cheat Sheet now >>
Three Bs Part #2: Stop Neglecting Your Physical Well-Being
I know taking care of your physical well-being is often one of the simplest sounding things, yet is difficult in practice.
Have you been struggling with self-care and managing your physical well-being since you’ve been dealing with stress and overwhelm at work?
Not that long ago, I was in a similar boat as you. I grappled with the demands of my job, spending long hours on my work. I neglected my body’s health and well-being, skipping exercise, and grabbing takeout instead of cooking healthier options at home.
The more stressed I got, the less time I spent on my self-care. And the more I coped with a glass of wine and escaped into Netflix most evenings.
It wasn’t until I realized how burnt out I was and started prioritizing my self-care and physical health that I was able to find a renewed sense of joy in my work.
You may not be able to stop your negative coping habits right away, and that’s okay. But you can start implementing self-care practices and little by little, you’ll find you have no need for all that Netflix (which is great, because it can be a time suck!).
Here are 4 tips to help you get started with prioritizing your physical well-being.
These are the exact steps I use to rejuvenate and find my joy again:
- Incorporate movement. Take regular breaks for movement, stretch, or go for a short walk sometime during the day. Try easy exercises that can be done in the classroom (hello, brain breaks!) or during your planning period.
- Prioritize sleep. Seriously, sleep is the magic cure for many things. Create a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Establish a bedtime routine to signal to your body that it is time to wind down.
- Healthy nutrition. Plan and prepare nutritious meals for the week. Set a time during the weekend for meal prep if you need some quick grab-and-go options throughout the week. Choose snacks that are rich in protein and fiber to keep your energy levels stable throughout the day.
- Breathe. This is one of the simplest and quickest tools, and one we often forget we have. Set a timer throughout the day to remind you to take a few deep breaths. Practice deep breathing with your students, especially when the classroom could benefit from some calm and focus.
Three Bs Part #3. Create Boundaries
When you first set out to rediscover your passion for teaching, you will likely be overwhelmed by the demands and pressure that come with your role.
A surefire way to combat this is by creating clear and healthy boundaries for yourself.
When you establish and uphold these boundaries, you end up preserving your well-being and your energy.
This means you’ll rediscover the joy in teaching and create a sustainable, fulfilling career.
Regularly review and reflect.
While I stand by these three Bs being the only strategy you need, you must regularly assess the impact of your boundaries on your teaching and life goals.
For example, if you are feeling constantly overwhelmed, having little or no work/life balance, or are struggling to find the joy in teaching, it may be time to adjust your boundaries.
One time I was working extremely long hours every day trying to keep up with my administrative work after spending most of my regular hours responding to parent complaints, supporting teachers and providing breaks, and conducting classroom observations.
I finally realized that the 12+ hour days weren’t sustainable. I also realized that the work was always going to be there tomorrow. I started working my scheduled hours and getting as much done as I could, then left work at work so I could enjoy my evenings.
That freed up time for me to socialize with loved ones, cook a healthy dinner, and get some movement in, along with heading to bed at a normal bedtime.
I was able to show up for my colleagues with more energy and a positive attitude instead of the exhausted, short-fused way I had been.
Embrace the power of saying no, prioritize your needs first, and create boundaries that support your well-being. Your journey to rediscovering your passion for teaching starts with setting realistic limits and ensuring a healthy work/life balance.
Need some additional guidance around boundaries? I love the book Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab.
Conclusion
Have you gotten a little dose of inspiration for rekindling your passion for teaching? Amazing!
I love to help teachers heal from burnout and reconnect to their joy.
It can be frustrating and overwhelming because there’s not a lot of practical guidance out there that feels manageable to implement.
I’ve been in education for years and nothing makes me happier than sharing my tips and strategies with you so you can have better work/life balance and feel confident in your expertise and skills as a teacher.
Do you have any questions about the Three Bs? Drop them over on Facebook or Instagram. My friendly community and I provide invaluable info for absolutely FREE!
While we’re on the topic of burnout, have you seen my post on 10 Super Simple Ways to Beat Teacher Burnout? It’s perfect for people like you who want to overcome teacher burnout and have more joy again.
