Welcome to the Tuesday Teaching Tip, an easy-to-implement tool that you can use immediately in your classroom teaching. 

TUESDAY TEACHING TIP: Self-Care this Spring

It’s Finals Week already! Amidst the last-minute office hours, proctoring, and grading, we encourage you to find pockets of time – even 5 minutes – to practice Self-Care this week and over the upcoming Spring break. Whether you’re re-energized by being social and active, e.g., spending time with family and friends, or by solitude, e.g., reading or crafting in a quiet space, it is important to prioritize your health and wellbeing by re-centering yourself and cultivating calmness, clarity, and peace amidst the tumult. 

Research indicates that in a stressful post-pandemic world, educators of all levels and types are especially susceptible to professional burnout. During this busy period and as you look ahead to the Spring, you may face challenges with loaded schedules, maintaining a good work-life balance, and the ever-evolving classroom environment. Though it’s tempting and maybe instinctive to keep chugging along, it is paramount to invest in your own well-being. 

This week, we challenge you to make time for meaningful Self-Care.

Here’re some ways to do it:

• Self-Care in 5 Minutes: Follow a guided meditation or mindfulness exercise, or do a quick seated stretching exercise
• Self-Care in 30 Minutes: Step away from your screens and paperwork and go for a walk outside, call a friend and have a catch-up session
• Self-Care in 1 Hour or Longer: Listen to a podcast, prepare a comforting meal, read a book that’s been sitting on your nightstand, or meet a friend IRL

As you explore one or several of these exercises, reflect on how you can make Self-Care a proactive habit and work to re-frame it as a priority. Care for the Self enables you to Care for Others. Encourage your colleagues and students to practice Self-Care this week, too!

And remember to check out your SCU wellness benefits!
SCU Employee Wellness benefits include a wide variety of services and resources, including Reiki sound meditation, chair massages, and access to the Calm app which houses guided meditations and stretching routines.

 

DID YOU DO IT?

Let us know how it went. We would love to hear your feedback about how you implemented today’s Tuesday Teaching Tip in your classroom. Click here to fill out our 3-question survey. The survey is anonymous, but if you choose to enter your name, you’ll be entered in a drawing at the end of the quarter to win a new book from Faculty Development!

 

UPCOMING EVENTS 

• AI+X Community Event on Tuesday, March 17 RSVP

• TESE Revision Workshop on Wednesday, March 18 RSVP

• All-Day Accessibility Workshops: Thursday, March 19 RSVP and Thursday, March 26 RSVP

 

WANT TO READ A LITTLE MORE?

• Elisabeth Bailey and Dar’ya Dyachuk, ‘Self and collective care for faculty and staff’, Nurs Manage, 56.7 (2025): 8–12 
• Read our DRT page on Supporting Students' Well Being during crises and periods of high stress, as well as resources you can direct students in mental and emotional distress towards. 

This week’s Tuesday Teaching Tip was prepared by Gaby Tiu and Caitlin Flynn on behalf of Faculty Development and the Center for Teaching Excellence.

Missed a teaching tip? Read them all here. 

And check out our full calendar of CAFEs and other Faculty Development events.