Description: This week, Dr. Boogren challenges the Self-Care Squad to be more purposeful with their pleasure by making the conscious choice to swap unhappy habits for happy moments when we can.
Listen Now:
Transcription: Hi, and welcome to episode 29 of season two of Self-Care for Educators. I'm your host, Tina Boogren. This week's invitation is going to be pretty specific. What I want us to play around with is the idea of first making a list of all the things that make you happy. And by things, I actually mean things. People, places, activities, books, just stuff or people just, what makes you happy. I want you to make a list. And then, I want you to sit down with your calendar, and I want you to plug in places this week, where you can insert more of those things. In fact, what you might do is also create a list of things that don't make you happy. And, I know there's going to be some things on your list that don't make you happy that you have no choice that you have to do, but there might come up with some things like, Watching the news doesn't tend to make me happy. So, could we do less of that? And, by doing less of that ... get a little bit more time to be able to do the things or be with the people that do make us happy?
I think purposely carving out time for happiness is a good thing. I don't think anyone's going to argue with that, but it's something that I don't think we always think about. I always ... I always subscribed to the notion that if we want to get something done, put it in the calendar. ... Again, I know different strategies work for different people, but for me, it's got to go in the calendar, but we sometimes feel, I don't know, it feels a little frivolous to put things like listening to my favorite podcast on the calendar, but that makes me happy. And so, finding time to do that, actually worthwhile to add to, to our daily kind of schedule ... And, I'm talking small things or big things. If you've got time, gosh, maybe you're on spring break, and you can think of some big things that you can do that make you happy. Don't forget to rest, capital R rest, as we talked about in last week's episode, but what are those things that make you happy?
So, for me, you guys know going for a walk makes me so happy. So, I'm marking it down in my calendar. When am I going to take those walks? Like I just mentioned, listening to specific podcasts, so lining them up in my kind of cues so that I have the next ones all ready to go. I listen to podcasts when I'm getting ready in the morning. I listened to them sometimes on my walks. Anytime I'm in the car I'll listen to a podcast. So, if I have them queued up and ready to go ...
Other things that make me happy--spending time with my husband. So, this is why we commit to at least one night, a week that we have date night. We've done that for a long time and getting that on the calendar, planning it ahead, thinking about what we're going to do is something that matters. That's really important to both. Thinking about what people that make you happy and how can you carve out some time with them either, either in person or for a Zoom or a walk and talk together ... What I love is we move into the, to the depths of spring. Here we're much more likely to be able to get outside and explore nature with other people. We're getting so many good dopamine hits. They're just being outside the vitamin D the connection, the relationship piece also essential.
So, that's what I want you to play around with this week. I think starting with maybe that's what you do. Today, as you listened to this podcast, just start a little list, whether it's on a sticky note. Maybe it had to be in the margin of your calendar. Maybe it's just a note on your phone, a Google Doc that you keep adding to. Identify what are the things--people, places, events, shows, all of it--that make you happy, and you can kind of pay attention for a few days or for a day or so. Once you've got that list, then sit down and plan ahead. And, maybe you go beyond just this week. I know we do weekly invitations, but you can go a little bit further and think about, How can I, how can I ensure that I'm making more time for those? How can I actually plug them into the calendar and my schedule? How can I be purposeful and thoughtful in my time use? How can I integrate some of the negative things that I have control over in order to purposely plug in those pieces that I look forward to, so that I'm excited about what makes me feel good? Maybe I purposely ensure that I start and end my day with what makes me happy. Maybe I mix up my lunchtime routine to ensure that I've got a happiness booster at the mid-point of the day. Maybe it's something you do as a family. You come up with a list together. What are things that we do together that make us happy that we can make time for so many ways that we can kind of explore this thing?
I just think that when we are proactively considering our own happiness, taking control of our time, to the extent that we are able to. What a difference that that can make. Ooh, I love this idea. I cannot wait to hear what this bad-ass Self-Care Squad does with this idea and how you utilize this. You can of course take this into your classroom, as well. Just so many ways that we can play around with this. I cannot wait to hear from you.
As always a huge thank you to Brooke for making this happen. Thank you to Solution and Marzano Resources for this happy job that I get to do. And, to you, my bad-ass Self-Care Squad. My goodness. I am so grateful for you. You make me so happy. Have an amazing week, Squad.
Comments