BRAIN BREAKS: WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER AS YOU TEACH

It can be very important to take Brain Breaks! You work long hours. You have to be available and on demand for the better part of your day. Brain breaks are the key to staying sane as you teach at home.

To start, try the basic tips from this blog post on Self-Care, Put on Your Oxygen Mask First: Self-Care in the First Month of School (and the rest of the year, too!).

1. Try chair yoga! Stretch into a few poses in your office chair or roll a towel out on your living room floor for an even more engaging practice. Don't skip Savasana! The body can benefit the most from a few minutes of peace and quiet. Check out 15 Yoga Poses to Shed the Teacher Tension and Stretch Through Chronic Desk-Job Pain.

2. Enjoy desk drinks & sneak-able snacks! But wait... you're at home, so there's no need to sneak! Allow yourself a favorite coffee drink or sweet dessert when tensions rise. Veg out on your favorite treat in between your lessons.

3. Break for books! Now more than ever, it's important to unplug from the social media storm. You should stay apprised of current news but not allow yourself to be sucked into the endless scroll. Check out to a fantasy land for a few minutes each day.

4. Dance break! Turn on your favorite jam and wiggle to the beat. For a brain break with an educational twist, keep your focus with music from certain periods of history. 

5. Color or draw. I'm sure your art teacher colleagues will tell you - you're never too old for art! 

6. Crosswords, mazes, or word searches. The best brain breaks are those that allow you a few minutes of mindless distraction. Keep your brain spry by solving puzzle clues in between assignments. Try these End of the Year World History Puzzles or these End of the Year Modern America Activities! 

7. Travel! From the comfort of your own couch, of course.  You can see the world from your living room. Browse Google maps for your dream destinations or take virtual field trips at worldwide aquariums, zoos, or theaters. Browse a world famous museum. 

8.  Sightsee. Also from the comfort of your own couch, travel through popular museums and view art installments, historical exhibits, and more! Go sky high! 

9. Adventure! Search your favorite roller coasters in POV mode on Youtube for an exciting adventure. Dig for gold. Try online scavenger hunts for more fun, especially those to keep you thinking historically! These aren't just parent brain breaks, either! These activities would be great for kiddos of any age. Most importantly, no matter how old you are, prioritize your mental health and sanity in any way you can.

Treat your brain, body, and sanity with love and compassion. Best wishes!

Happy Teaching, from wherever you may be teaching,

-MICHELLE