Transcript

Welcome to this week's episode of the Teacher Support Network Podcast. I'm your host Antoine McCoy, and today we're going to talk about one of my favorite self care tools, Music. 

Whether it's to get motivated, relax, or reflect, music has the power to shape our mood and direct how we feel in the moment. So how can you as a teacher and educator use music to support your own health and well being?

Let's dive in and explore this topic a little bit more. I heard a quote many years ago that really stuck with me, and it says something to the effect that “music is the universal language.” I find that to be true in my own experience. No matter how I'm feeling, I can always find a song to match my mood.

So how about you? Ever notice how a song can completely change your mood? Well, there's actual science behind that. Music has been proven to release dopamine, that feel good chemical in our brains, reducing stress and even lowering our cortisol levels. Studies have shown that certain types of music can help with focus and relaxation, and even emotional processing.

So for teachers who are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities throughout the school day and interacting with all types of people, from students to colleagues, to parents and so forth, music can be a very simple yet powerful way to help us reset. So whether you need an energy boost before a class or a moment of peace and calm after a long strenuous day, there's a song for that.

So now let's look at and talk about some practical ways you can incorporate music into your own daily self care routine, no matter how busy your teaching schedule is. 

First, start your day with an uplifting music playlist before you enter the classroom or at the beginning of the day. Or you may need some inspiration and motivation in the middle of the day to get a burst of energy when you may be feeling tired or drained from just everything you've been doing that day.

I suggest creating a “teacher self-care hype playlist” of three to five songs that you can go to when you need that burst of motivation. 

Choose songs that are positive, inspiring, and make you feel empowered like you can take on anything. A “teacher self-care hype playlist” can really set the tone for your day or it can change the mood of your day if you intentionally use it when you need it. 

Right now, one of the songs on my hype playlist at the moment that I like to start my day with is called “Good Day" by Forrest Frank. It really helps me stay grounded in my faith, keeps things in perspective for me, and gets me motivated for the day ahead.

Another song on my hype playlist is “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire. If I ever need a pick me up song throughout the day, this old school classic does not disappoint. You might have heard of these songs before, and you might not have. I'll put a link to both of these songs in the show notes under the resource section, if you want to jam to them as well. These two really picked me up. I have a few others, but I just shared these with you on this episode, um, right now. 

Second, we can also use music to help us relax and relieve stress. When you're feeling overwhelmed, especially during unexpected challenges that come up during the school day, which often happens if you're a teacher, having soft, instrumental music like jazz, the sounds of nature, like crashing waves at a beach, or even lo fi beats, found a lot on YouTube, can really help you unwind. Try playing some relaxing, chill, calming music during your lunch break or planning periods, or even at the end of the day to decompress on your way home.

It really will help to relax you and relieve some of that stress and tension you might be having throughout the day. 

Third, I want you to consider how music can really help you transition between work and home. One trick is finding a specific song that helps you push the reset button between your work and home life.

So think about when your work day ends, you have a specific song, that one specific song that kind of tells your brain, it's time to shift gears from the classroom and teaching to my home and personal life with my family. It's a small habit that can really help make that separation and just kind of shift you from what you've been doing throughout the day and all the things you've been carrying and help you set your focus to your personal life at home.

So these are just three ways that you can use music to help you in your own health and self-care regimen. I just wanted to share this with you because I feel like there's many self-care tools and music is a big one. It's something we can incorporate into our day pretty easily in between periods and can really make a big difference.

So in closing, whether it's a high energy jam in the morning, a chill playlist during lunch or a song that helps you shift out of teacher mode, music is a simple but powerful way to take care of yourself. 

So here's my challenge for you this week. If you haven't already done this, create a short teacher self care playlist on your favorite music streaming platform, like Apple, Spotify, or even YouTube. Even if it's just three to five songs, put together something that makes you feel good and then start to use it intentionally.

 I'd love to hear what's on your teacher self-care playlist. So share your song ideas with me in the comment section at the bottom of the show notes page for this episode, or even drop the link for the playlist you created for yourself so others can use it and we can inspire each other along this teaching journey.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode, and please share it with a friend or colleague who can benefit from it. 

I’m going to close with this. Remember, your wellbeing matters. So until next time, take care of yourself and keep jamming to those tunes that feed your soul.

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