5 Ways to Emotionally Recharge This Summer

Prioritize and protect your emotional well-being with these practical resources.

The end of the school year is an emotionally charged time. No matter how drained you feel, these tools will help you refuel your batteries and return to your classroom refreshed and ready to make a difference.

1. Meditate

Named one of the best meditation apps of 2019, Headspace provides an easy way to learn and practice meditation, especially for newbies. You can personalize your experience by choosing a topic to focus on (e.g., stress or personal growth), and customizing the length, and time of day of your practice. For teachers with a lot on their minds, this is a great way to get back to a stable mental place (and stay there when school starts up again).

2. Match your mood to music

Are you a music lover? The playlist-generating app Moodfuse allows you to create a custom soundtrack to match your mood. There’s nothing like discovering a new favorite song (or listening to an old one) to relieve stress.

3. Doodle

Creating something new can do wonders to recharge your spirit — especially if you don’t overthink it. The goal of the 100 Days of Doodle project is not to make something perfect, but to encourage you to make space for creativity in your everyday life. Not an artist? Consider an alternative to doodling to create your own “100 Days” challenge.

4. Pare down

When you have too many items crowding your physical (or mental) space, it can be difficult to focus on what’s important, let alone maintain a sense of inner peace. The Big Book of Less is an illustrated read by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst that will motivate you to create some breathing room by cleaning out the things you no longer need. Need more inspiration? Watch the hit Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo; it’s a master class in how to transform any room from sloppy to spotless.

5. Make time for what you love

During the school year, many teachers are squeezed by the demands of busy schedules — it can feel impossible to carve out time for fun. Recharging emotionally means making time for the things you love. Be intentional in your plans to get back to activities that bring you joy (and have nothing to do with work!). Don’t know where to start? Check out your city’s events calendar (like this one for downtown Phoenix).