Surviving Being a New Teacher? 27 of My Favorite Ways to Relax

My plans for this evening.

This is my first year with a real teaching job and I have my first day of school with students on Monday. This week has been filled with late nights to get my classroom ready, sleepless hours spent tossing and turning and a million and one to do lists. I realized today that what I really needed was a night off. Don't get me wrong, I still have a lot to do, but sometimes you just have to take a break from it all to allow yourself to be more productive. Here are 27 of my favorite ways to blow off some steam.

1) Blogging. Sometimes putting things into writing helps me to sort through my thoughts and allows me to see things in a more positive light.

2) Pinterest. I admit it, I'm a pinterest addict, but there's something about looking at a lot of pretty pictures that helps to calm me down.

3) Cooking. I find comfort in knowing that if I follow a set of directions, I will get the intended outcome.

4) Reading or listening to a book. The words from the minds of others that find a way to identify and articulate my own jumbled thoughts are particularly soothing.

5) Watching a favorite TV show. Right now I'm enjoying CSI: New York.

6) Flipping through a mindless magazine. Cosmo and People come to mind. Not exactly literary art, but good for when you need a break from your own life.

7) A hot shower. Some people say a bath, but I care for the idea of hanging out in human soup.

8) Calling my mom. Sometimes, you just need your mommy.

9) Yoga. It makes you calmer, more focused and is excellent exercise.

10) Grooming one of my horses. It feels good for them and studies show that being around animals contributes to lower blood pressure.

11) Sew. The sound of the machine soothes my soul.

12) Repeating calming mantras. It sounds a little cheesy, but telling myself that I am capable, strong and it will all really be alright does help.

13) Do the small tasks on your to do list. Taking care of small things, just so you can cross them off your list, really does help.

14) Go to sleep. It's the human version of, "Did you turn it off and turn it back on?"

15) Spend time with my husband. I really couldn't have asked for better than Bradley. He almost always makes me feel better about life.

16) Come up with a plan B. Having a backup plan helps to alleviate worries and fear.

17) Listen to music. For every feeling, there is a song.

18) Slip into something comfortable. I'm partial to an old t-shirt of my dad's.

19) Try this trick. lie on your back with your feet up in the air and against the wall. Supposedly it's the differentiation in blood flow, but it helps you to relax.

20) Walk outside barefoot and feel the grass between your toes.

21) Do something good. Whether big or small, it always makes me feel better to do something positive for the world.

22) Making a mental list of things I can do successfully. When I'm stressed, it's hard to remember what I'm good at. Listing things I am good at reaffirms that I am capable.

23) Eat something good for you. Taking care of yourself can have a big impact on your mental state.

24) Get a massage, if you can afford it, or have a loved one give you one.

25) Complete a mundane task, such as a load of laundry. Essentially, do something you can't get wrong.

26) Communicate what you need. If you don't ask for help, people don't know you need it and can't give it to you.

27) If all else fails, wine a little. A bottle's worth should do the trick!