Self-Care in the Classroom: Yoga Poses with Yoobi’s Resident Yogi
We consulted our resident Yoobi Yogi for some quick and practical yoga tips so you can celebrate YOU this month with a little self-care in the classroom. Why? Because you’re amazing and you deserve it (especially after grading what felt like 843 assignments last night).
3 Quick Poses for Teacher Self-Care
You Can Move Mountains Pose: Teachers change lives and move mountains on the regular, so get yourself centered at the beginning of the day with this awesome pose.
- Stand with your feet planted firmly on the ground, shoulder width apart, arms and hands down by your side a few inches from your body. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in as you stand tall, shoulders relaxed, envisioning taking on the world as you change it one student at a time. Breathe in and out, slowly, ten times. One your eyes for the last deep breath in, and out. It’s game time.
- This pose helps posture, elongates your spine, supports balance and increases your confidence.
Teacher Warrior Pose: This is a goodie for the days when you’re sitting down more than usual and you need a jolt to tackle the rest of your grading.
- Sit up straight and place your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms out to your sides with palms facing down, shoulder height. Slowly lean to your right, outstretch your arm and reaaaaaach. Hold for one breath in and out and lean then lean over to your left, palms still facing down, reach far with your fingertips. Continue this back and forth, alternating five times to each side.
- This pose helps build a strong and healthy spine as well as aids in organ function.
Hallway Healing Pose: Try this pose the next time you’re about to head from your classroom to the lunchroom, or a meeting.
- Stand in the middle of an open doorway, feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your arms so your elbows are bent and grab onto either side of the door with your hands. Squeeeeeze your shoulder blades together and tilt your head back looking up at the ceiling and slowly back down to the floor. Breathe in slowly with your eyes open, and close your eyes as you slowly exhale. Listen for your breathe as you exhale. Do this for 30 seconds before feeling totally refreshed, in control, and ready to head to your next meeting.
- This is a blissful pose that will help relieve some tension from your neck and back, where you store all that stress from that morning’s lesson.
2 Quick Teacher Tricks
Breathe Like You Mean It: Ever get frustrated, anxious, stressed, annoyed during the day? Yeah, us too. It’s seriously crazy how purposefully breathing seems to make it all better, if only until the next kid shoves a crayon up their nose. Then breathe again. J
- Inhale through your nose deeply and slowly, you should take about five seconds and envision pulling air in through your body, carrying it all the way to the top of your head, to your fingertips and toes. Then, slowly exhale taking an equal five seconds. Mentally repeat the words “let” on your inhales and “go” on your exhales.
Hug it Out With YoSelf: We are amazing, we are strong, we are loved. Take a break for this little self-reminder, you’ll be glad you did!
- Take a moment whenever needed, and close your eyes, breathing in and out slowly. Set an intention for yourself – like, I will live by what inspires me; I will stand tall for what I believe in; I will defend others who are not as strong as I am; or, I will live with love and kindness. Repeat this to yourself and when you are ready, cross your arms right over left and give yourself a big, gigantic hug. Breath in and out, cross your arms the other way and repeat your intention.
