Have a High-Energy Year!

You've only been in school a couple of months and you're pumped—moving faster than a speeding seventh grader and able to leap over scope and sequence charts in a single bound. But look out: the demands of job and home life can drain you like kryptonite.

by Sheree Crute

Managing kids all day, working on your feet, staying "on" in front of a class, juggling playground and cafeteria duty, supervising extracurricular activities, and staying up late grading papers and homework can drive you from pumped to pooped in no time at all.

"As the year wears on," confesses Anne Marie Abercrombie, a fifth-grade teacher at Peterstown School #3, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, "I accumulate so much paperwork and excess baggage that I'm just overall, overtired." So how can Abercrombie and other educators recharge their internal batteries and protect themselves from emotional and physical fatigue? Here's what the experts say.

Take an Energy Inventory

Emotional burnout can be part of any high-stress job situation, but teachers may be at special risk, says Mira Kirshenbaum, author of The Emotional Energy Factor. "Teachers are caregivers," says Kirshenbaum, "and they're caught in a potential three-way situation, trying to balance the needs of kids, parents, and administrators."

Even if you're that lucky teacher who sails through the day with a minimum amount of stress, other health and lifestyle issues can sap your vitality. If you're staying up late with Leno on the Tonight Show, your body may be desperately in need of that extra hour of sleep. "Most people don't recognize a lack of sleep as the problem," says Michael Thorpy, M.D., director of the Sleep- Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Hospital in New York. "Instead, people say 'I  have no energy.'"

What if your work life is under control, you sleep like a baby, and you still find yourself dragging through the day? You may want to take a look at your health, exercise regimen, and eating plan. Medical problems—from diabetes and heart disease to thyroid disease and cancer—can cause severe fatigue, says Thorpy, so see your physician if you're tired all the time.

Any one, or a combination, of these energy drainers may be affecting your vim and vigor. Pick up a pen and pad and, as you read through each category below, make a note of where you may need help, then create your own energy protection plan.

Beat Burnout

Job-related stress can lead to the most debilitating type of energy loss—a drain on your emotional energy. If you don't feel up for the kids, are annoyed at every demand, and you're living for the weekend, that's emotional fatigue.

"And exhaustion, which is part of the stress response, is one of the first symptoms," says Christina Maslach, a professor of psychology and provost at the University of California at Berkeley, who has conducted some of the pioneering research on burnout. Fortunately, says Maslach, you can get relief, even if, like many teachers, you can't banish the piles of paperwork and other demands on your time.

Here are some solutions you'll find in Maslach's new book, Banishing Burnout: Six Strategies for Improving Your Relationship with Work.

Call for help. Whether it's an industrious student who comes in one afternoon a week, parent volunteers, or a teaching assistant, get some assistance.

Develop your skills. If you can't beat it, organize it. Consider new software to hold files, produce a calendar, and reduce paper. Invest in a class in organizational skills at the local adult education center. The goal: to get all that paper under control.

Seek support! "Co-workers can be of tremendous help to each other," Maslach says. Form groups and share work and solutions. Abercrombie is already practicing this last step. "I'm very involved in my local, Association," she says. "I also cope by trying to help younger teachers with the workload."

Rest Easy

There's no substitute for a good night's sleep. To check for a sleep deficit and to get more zzzzz, follow these steps:

Time yourself. "An adult needs 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours of sleep each night, and even an hour less can make a big difference," cautions Thorpy.

Kill the alarm clock. Don't panic! It's just a one- or two-day test. You should actually be able to wake up without it, Thorpy says. "If you can't wake yourself up, you're overtired."

Check yourself.  Do you hit the pillow and pass out in five? If so, that's actually too quick, Thorpy says. Your body's telling you that you need more rest.

Increase your "z" quotient. The National Sleep Foundation recommends these steps: Go to bed and get up at a regular time. Have a wind-down routine—a hot bath or a little restful music. Banish the television from the bedroom. Are your mattress and pillow truly comfortable? If you have insomnia, severe sleep apnea, or other problems, go to The National Sleep Foundation to learn where to get help.

Eat for Energy

There's no mystery to eating right for energy, says nutritionist Jeanie Moloo. Stick with small, power-packed meals and snacks and stay low on the food chain. "Re-fuel every three to three-and- one-half hours," recommends Moloo. 

Daily balance. At every meal think protein, complex carbohydrate, and whole grain. If this seems like a lot of food, remember your protein serving is about 3 ounces, no larger than a deck of cards. A serving of grain is 1/2 cup (cooked) whole wheat pasta, or 1/3 cup brown rice. Eat all the vegetables you want, as long as they're not in a fattening sauce or butter. Avoid caffeine, refined sugar, and high-fat fare.

Super snacks. The healthiest snacks are unsalted nuts or low-fat diary, like yogurt, cheese sticks, or smoothies and fruit.

Best quick pick-me-up. An orange, banana, or bowl full of berries and water.  The potassium and vitamin C really help keep you alert. 

Fast food fix. If you can't avoid vending machine chocolate chip cookies, snack on fruit or low-fat protein to slow your body's absorption of the refined sugar and help keep your blood sugar—and therefore your energy levels—stable.

Exercise and Energize

No matter what your energy drain, there's one remedy that can invigorate you and even help you stay calm and balanced throughout the day—exercise! Rather than worry about clearing 30 to 60 minutes of your day for one session, Jan Schroeder, an exercise physiology professor at California State Longbeach, has designed a series of quick stretches and cardio exercises you can do for 5 to 10 minutes throughout the day to get your 30. Add these to your energy protection plan:

Figure 4 stretch. Sit, place right ankle on left thigh. Put gentle, downward pressure on the right thigh, gently leaning into the stretch. Repeat twice, hold for 20 seconds on each side.

Sitting hip-flexor stretch. Sit sideways on the edge of an armless sturdy chair. Loop back arm over chair back for support. Extend outside leg behind you until you feel the stretch in your hip flexor (where hip meets pelvis).  Do twice, hold for 20 seconds, repeat on other side.

Chair stands. Sit in a sturdy chair. Hold a textbook of some weight in both hands. Pull in your stomach, straighten your back, and then stand up. Once you're standing, raise the book directly over your head. Bring it down to your waist and sit again. Do a set of 10.

Desk push-ups. Place both hands on your desk. Lean forward and place your weight on your hands, extending your legs back into a diagonal. Start with 10 push-ups, work up to 20.  

We each have different energy needs, so work through each set of tips, try different things, and see what works best for you. You can't instantly banish every bad habit, but you can find a way to add a little vitality to your school day! 

Shall We Dance? NEA Member Tip

Margie Dykes is the head of the health and fitness department at Montwood High School in El Paso, Texas, but her real talent is teaching dance. Dykes, who has been teaching for 23 years, says "There's nothing better for kids and teachers than increasing the blood flow to the brain. Movement enhances concentration and helps you stay energized for the rest of the day." Dykes suggests you get the kids up out of their chairs and encourage them to move for at least 10 minutes before or during class. To make sure you stay fit too: no slacking. Hang in there with the kids every step of the way.

Whatever you do, remember, the idea is to stay fit and have fun!

For elementary school kids:

1. Play some some fast-moving music with a solid beat.
    
2. Warm up the kids with 20 jumping jacks.
    
3. Now, dance…dance…dance. (All your students may not be able to move with the same ease, so dance freestyle to the music or do an easy line dance like the Electric Slide. It's especially fun to go retro and teach them a dance you did "back in the day.")

For middle (and even high) school kids:

1. Pick an aerobics tape. Each song will be 124 to 136 beats per minute, perfect for a good workout.
    
2. Warm up with some good stretches.
    
3. Now workout! Encourage students to use their own steps and invite different students to lead the class each day with workout moves of their own. If your middle or high school students are just too cool to participate, throw a fit—party that is. Invite them to bring some good dance music—just make sure you or another adult check it out first—and let everyone dance freestyle.

Photo: Teo Lannie