President's Letter: Celebration and Self-Care

It’s time to celebrate us, school counselors! School counselors wear many different hats daily and throughout the school year. It’s important that we pour the same amount of support, kindness and energy inward that we pour into students, staff and communities. We must have a proper work-life balance to maintain proper self-care for ourselves. According to BetterUp, here are 12 tips to improve your work-life balance.

1. Learn to say “No.” Learning how to say no can be one of the hardest soft skills for any dedicated professional to learn and put into practice. But it’s an important part of setting boundaries.
2. Take breaks. Even a 30-second microbreak can improve concentration, reduce stress, keep you feeling engaged and make your work feel more enjoyable. MIT senior lecturer Robert Pozen recommends taking a break every 75–90 minutes for 15 minutes.
3. Use your lunch break (or a designated quiet time). If you have a lunch break at your place of work, it’s your right to use it. This means you shouldn’t be expected to always eat at your desk and work through lunch.
4. Ask for flexibility. Having open, honest conversations about your needs and those of your employer and team can lead to productive solutions. Those can include flextime, a compressed workweek schedule, job sharing, and other creative options.
5. Prioritize your health. Recognizing the importance of maintaining your physical health, emotional well-being and mental fitness is the first step to making it a priority in your life.
6. Practice self-compassion. One of the most important ways to achieve a sense of work-life balance is to let go of perfectionism.
7. Communicate boundaries. Set and communicate your work hours to your colleagues so that you have clear boundaries.
8. Invest in relationships. Solid connections and social support can improve health and increase longevity.
9. Make space in your schedule for family time. Block out some time that’s devoted entirely to your family.
10. Prioritize quality time. Rather than spreading yourself so thin that nothing feels satisfying, identify what’s truly important to you.
11. Start small. Healthier behaviors can support your sense of personal well-being.
12. Ask for help. Asking for help gives other people the gift of giving, and  being part of a solution and support system. This builds the benefits of mutual relationships for all involved.

Please continue the self-care by celebrating National School Counseling Week, February 6–10, sponsored by ASCA. #NSCW23 highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

The 2023 theme is “School Counselors: Helping Students Dream Big.” The dedicated week helps focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. Access school counseling week activities, templates and images.

Relax, rest, get some self-care, and enjoy National School Counseling Week!

Contact Zulena Staton, NCSCA president, at StatonZ@pitt.k12.nc.us.