July 21, 2025 • 24 mins
The most important back-to-school prep no one talks about isn't about classroom decorations - it's about preparing YOU. In this episode, we reveal the three critical areas that transform your school year: supporting your life, prepping your teaching self, and creating a recovery plan. We'll show you how to go beyond traditional preparation and create systems that support you as a whole person, helping you not just survive, but truly thrive in the classroom.
Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/the-most-important-back-to-school-prep-no-one-talks-about/
Resources:
- Procedures and Routines Planning Guide and Checklists
- Back to School Readiness Checklists
- LMNT - get a FREE sample pack with your purchase!
- Tamed Wild door hinge magnets
- Join the Teacher Approved Club!
- Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
- Shop our teacher-approved resources.
- Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
- Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!
Related Episodes to Enjoy:
- Episode 199, Time, Tech, & Tasks: The 3 Boundaries That Save Teacher Summers
- Episode 201, 20 Easy Back-to-School Teacher Tasks You Can Totally Do From the Couch
- Episode 203, 6 Teacher Traps We’re Saying No to This Back-to-School Season
- Episode 205, Use This One-Hour Teacher Trick to Start the School Year Calm and Ready
- Episode 207, No Class List? No Problem - Here’s What to Prep While You Wait
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Heidi (00:00):
This is episode 209 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:14):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:29):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:36):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we are sharing our beststrategies for preparing
yourself, not just yourclassroom, to go back to school,
and we've got a teacher approvedtip for creating a Sunday
routine that will save yoursanity all year long.
Heidi (00:52):
But first, it's time for a try it tomorrow, a favorite
quick win that you can try inyour life right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (01:00):
This week, take a photo of yourself doing something fun.
That's it. Just snap a pictureof you in a moment when you're
laughing, relaxing, adventuring,reading, hiking, gardening,
eating something delicious,watching the sunset, or just,
you know, not being a teacher.And then come October, when your
to do list is longer than theschool day, or in January, when
(01:21):
you're facing your 15th indoorrecess, you can have this nice
reminder of the you who existsoutside of school, the you who
still knows how to rest andlaugh and wander and feel joy.
So this photo can become avisual love note from summer you
to school year you.
Heidi (01:39):
The key is to keep this photo somewhere where you will
see it. Make it your phonebackground, or print it and tape
it inside your desk drawer. Or,you know, you can tuck it in
your planner where only you willspot it, but you'll see it every
day.
Emily (01:51):
You could put it in your joy drawer that we talked about
recently. That's a tonguetwister, joy drawer, right?
Isn't that what we called it?
Heidi (01:58):
Yes.
Emily (01:59):
So if you're doing something fun this week, even
something small, you can justpause for 30 seconds, snap a
photo and smile and save it forlater.
Heidi (02:07):
If you like this idea, or anything else that we share here
on the podcast, would you take asecond and give us a five star
rating? Ratings and reviews areone way that new listeners find
us. So every rating and reviewreally is a huge help to us.
Emily (02:20):
Over the years, we've created an extensive library of
back to school products. So tohelp you find the tools that
will make the start of your newyear easier, we are going to be
spotlighting our procedures androutines planning guide and
checklists today. I know it hassuch an exciting name.
Heidi (02:38):
It's hard to give it a name that people can find it,
but makes it sound compelling.There's not a good balance
there. But this is such animportant tool for helping you
get your school year started offon the right foot. We thought
through all of the differentprocedures that you might need
to make your classroom runsmoothly, and we added them all
to a handy dandy checklist. Youcan go through the checklist on
(03:00):
paper, or you can do itdigitally in Google Docs, and
then you can just check off thespecific procedures that you
need for your classroom.
Emily (03:07):
Then once you know which procedures you need, you can
open up the planning guide anddecide on the exact steps that
students need to follow,identify your role in making the
procedure happen smoothly, andoutline a plan for how to teach
the procedure to your class.
Heidi (03:23):
Once you have this kind of specific, personalized detail
about your procedures, you won'twant to start the year without
it. You can find a link to theprocedures and routines planning
guide and checklist in our shownotes.
Emily (03:34):
If you're feeling behind, tired, or like the summer
slipped away a little too fast,you are not alone. This episode
isn't about hustle orperfection. It's about creating
a soft landing so that whenschool starts, you don't crash
into it, you arrive, even if youare a little sleepy when you get
there.
Heidi (03:52):
But we're not going to focus too much on the classroom
right now. Instead, we arefocusing on the most important
part of back to school success,and that is you.
Emily (04:02):
Right. We spend so much time getting our classrooms
ready, and obviously that isvery important, but we often
forget to get ourselves ready.And we're not just talking about
having your teaching materialsorganized. We're talking about
how to truly prepare yourself,your life, your energy, your
recovery plan, so that you'reset up to actually thrive when
you go back to school.
Heidi (04:23):
Think about it this way, you wouldn't run a marathon
without training your body andpreparing your mind, right?
Hopefully not anyway. Teachingis an endurance sport too,
especially those first few weekswhen everything feels new and so
intense.
Emily (04:39):
Back to school season really demands a lot of
teachers, emotionally,physically, logistically, and
especially in those first coupleweeks. It can feel like your
entire life gets reroutedthrough your classroom. If
you're not ready, it will chewyou up and spit you out. So
let's talk about what we can donow, while summer still has some
breath in it to support yourfuture self.
Heidi (05:02):
We're going to walk through three simple categories
that will help you feel calm,capable, and a little more like
yourself when that first bellrings. The goal isn't to start
strong, it's to help you manageyour life, your energy and your
recovery, so that you cansustain your energy all year
long.
Emily (05:18):
Okay, let's dive into the first area, preparing your life
to support you. This meanssetting up your personal life so
it basically runs on autopilotfor those first few weeks.
Because, let's be honest,decision fatigue is real, and by
4pm on a school day at thebeginning of the school year,
the last thing you want to do isfigure out what's for dinner.
Heidi (05:38):
Oh, yeah, been there. We're not talking about being
perfect or even having it alltogether. This is about being
kind to your future self. Futureyou is going to be so tired,
possibly overwhelmed, anddefinitely not in the mood to
make a million tiny decisions.
Emily (05:54):
So let's start with food, because we all have to eat, and
we all know we're much nicer tobe around if we don't let
ourselves get hangry.
Heidi (06:02):
Oh yeah, guilty. So here's what we suggest. Prepare
freezer meals for the first oneto two weeks of school. This
isn't about doing anythingelaborate that's going to take
you all weekend to prepare.Think simple, nourishing meals
that you can dump on a ziplocand then tuck in the
freezer—soup, chili casseroles,or even just prepared
ingredients for tacos or stirfry.
Emily (06:24):
And don't forget to set up some emergency dinners too,
those pantry staples that canbecome a decent meal in 15
minutes when you're too tired tothink and you're either out of
freezer meals or you didn't havetime to make any. So that would
be things like pasta with jarredsauce and frozen vegetables, or
scrambled eggs and toast or abag of frozen dumplings. Those
can be lifesavers.
Heidi (06:45):
If you're someone who feels suffocated by the thought
of committing to regular mealplanning, try reframing it. This
isn't about a lifetimecommitment to schedules. You're
just trying to make a rough timea little smoother, the same way
that you would offer meals to afriend who just had a baby or to
someone who is recovering fromsurgery. It doesn't take a whole
lifestyle change, justscheduling an afternoon to
(07:07):
prepare some crock pot meals.
Emily (07:09):
And speaking of food, let's talk about your lunch
situation. Again, even if youdon't meal prep all year, having
a plan for your school lunchesthose first few weeks can make
such a difference, whetherthat's packing the same sandwich
every day, buying lunch, orprepping a week's worth of grain
bowls, just decide ahead of timeso that you're not defaulting to
a protein bar yet again.
Heidi (07:30):
Okay, next up we have outfit planning. It doesn't have
to be fancy. It doesn't have tobe expensive. Just pick out a
week or two's worth of outfitsthat make you feel confident and
comfortable and have them readyto go.
Emily (07:43):
Yeah, lay them out, take photos on your phone, whatever
works, the goal is to eliminatethat 'I have nothing to wear'
moment when you're alreadyrunning behind. Make as many
decisions as you can now, sothat your tired brain has one
less thing to deal with at backto school.
Heidi (07:57):
And since we're dealing with clothes, this is the
perfect time for a laundry resetand a grocery restock. Do all
the laundry, put it all away,that's the kicker, and stock up
on essentials so you're notscrambling for clean socks or
running out of coffee that firstweek.
Emily (08:14):
Take care of all those neglected home systems too. You
know, the things that have beenon your 'I'll deal with this
later' list all summer. You canset up automatic bill pay if you
haven't already, clean out yourcar, your future self will
really thank you for that one.Clean out your purse and your
teacher bag, get yourprescriptions refilled, or maybe
even prep your morning routineand practice it a few days
(08:36):
before school starts. I have toadmit, I think that would be
Heidi (08:37):
And here's something that sounds simple, but is actually
pretty impressive if youactually did that, but it would
be smart if you did
revolutionary. Block outrecovery time on your calendar
for that first week. Unlessyou're one of those people who
thrives on lots of socialinteraction, try to limit your
(08:58):
after school obligations forthose first few weeks. Scheduled
naps, no social evenings ornothing nights, right into your
planner.
Emily (09:06):
I love this because it gives you permission to say no
to things and prioritize yourown rest when you need it most.
Heidi (09:14):
All right, now that we've got your life set up to support
you, let's move on to preparingyour teaching self. This isn't
just about having the rightsupplies, though we will
definitely talk about those.It's about reconnecting with
your why and making space forthe teacher that you want to be
this year.
Emily (09:29):
Yeah, it's so easy to get caught up in all the logistics
and forget about the heart ofwhy we do this work. So start by
reflecting on your goals forthis school year, both personal
and professional. What kind ofteacher do you want to be? What
do you want your classroom tofeel like? How do you want to
take care of yourself this year?These big picture questions help
you approach the year withintention, instead of just
(09:51):
reacting to whatever comes yourway.
Heidi (09:53):
If you want support with this task in our digital back to
school readiness checklist,there's a whole section on
teacher preparation. One of theresources is a journal page with
guiding questions to help youreflect on what matters most as
you're heading into the newschool year.
Emily (10:09):
Once you've figured out your goals, it's time to figure
out your gear. Start with thebasics, comfortable shoes so you
can be on your feet for hours, awater bottle that you'll
actually use and a lunch bagthat makes you happy to pack a
lunch each day.
Heidi (10:22):
And then gather items that support your physical well
being, because if you aren'ttaking care of your body,
everything is just going to getso much harder.
Emily (10:29):
This is one of my favorite tips. Stock your desk
or classroom cupboard withpersonal essentials. Think of it
kind of like creating a survivalkit for your teacher self.
Heidi (10:38):
I love that. What kind of things are we talking about
here, Emily?
Emily (10:42):
Well, I think things like lip balm and hand lotion. Don't
you always find you need thosein the middle of the day when
you're feeling so dry.
Heidi (10:49):
So dry.
Emily (10:50):
Yes, and all the talking, and you'll want to pack some
protein bars or nuts or crackersand maybe some electrolyte
packets for those days when youforget to drink water until 2pm.
And my extra credit is going tobe useful for for these ideas,
so stay tuned for that.
Heidi (11:08):
Oh, that's intriguing.
Emily (11:10):
And don't forget personal care items like contact
solution. If you wear contactsyou know how it is that
suddenly, like something goeswrong with your contact and you
don't have any solution to dealwith it.
Heidi (11:20):
Ugh, the worst.
Emily (11:21):
Yeah, and then throat lozenges, if your throat is
feeling sore from all thetalking, pain reliever for sure
for headaches and cramps oranything else you might have,
you'll probably want suppliesfor upset stomachs. The Pepto
liquid gel caps are likeexcellent to keep on hand. Extra
hair ties, maybe even some mintsor gum.
Heidi (11:43):
And guess what, folks, there is a page for this in the
back to school readinesschecklist. We added more than 30
suggestions to the list already,but because it's digital, it is
so easy to edit the list toreflect the kinds of things that
you actually need to have onhand.
Emily (11:58):
And these might seem like small things, but when you're in
the thick of those first fewweeks, having systems in place
can make you feel so much moreprepared and confident. And just
having what you need in themoment that you need, it just
makes you feel like such a rockstar, like, Man, I wish I had
some lip balm right now and thenrealizing, Oh, I do. That's so
nice.
Heidi (12:18):
Such a lovely feeling to feel like you're cared for, even
if you're the one having to carefor yourself.
Emily (12:23):
Yep.
Heidi (12:24):
And that brings us to our final area, preparing your
recovery plan. This is thesection that's easiest to
overlook, but please don't blowthis off. It's honestly so
important. We are so good atthinking about how to start
strong, but you know, we rarelythink about how to recover well.
Emily (12:43):
Recovery isn't just about collapsing on the couch when you
get home, though sometimesthat's exactly what you need,
but it's more about havingintentional ways to help
yourself decompress andrecharge. So let's start with
building a recovery kit for yourpost school wind down. This is
like a little gift you give toyour future exhausted self.
Heidi (13:02):
I love this idea. When the first day ends, you want to
walk through your door and feellike you have stepped into a
soft cloud of, hey you, you'vegot this.
Emily (13:11):
So you can just grab a container and stock it with
supplies to help hamper yourselfafter a long, long day. So you
might want to put a bath bomb ora shower steamer in there so
that you can literally wash offthe school day, maybe some cozy
loungewear, or even a specialfirst week of school comfy
outfit that makes you feel cozy.
Heidi (13:30):
Lean into anything that reminds you that you're a real
human, not just a tired teacher.Stock up on your favorite treats
or get some gift cards for mealdelivery services, because
sometimes the most loving thingyou could do for yourself is not
cooking dinner.
Emily (13:45):
For sure, or get those groceries delivered, anything
like that to treat yourself.Also include some low energy
activities for when you want todecompress but you don't want to
just scroll your phone. So youcould get a coloring book, and
they have such cool differentkinds of coloring books now, you
could get a real fluffy readthat you've been wanting to
read, or a feel good moviethat's queued up and ready to
(14:07):
go.
Heidi (14:08):
And of course, Emily would always recommend having a
puzzle on hand.
Emily (14:12):
It's true. It's great way to decompress.
Heidi (14:14):
You can even prep your bedroom and bathroom with
relaxing essentials for bettersleep. Sleep is so important,
especially at the start of theschool year. So think fresh
sheets, a lavender pillow spray,or whatever is going to help you
unwind. Make your room an oasisof calm, you know, at least for
a couple days.
Emily (14:32):
And of course, there's a page full of ideas in the back
to school readiness checklist,so you can grab the checklist
from the link in the show notes.
Heidi (14:40):
One more idea for how to prepare your recovery is to
schedule something to lookforward to once the back to
school madness has calmed down.It doesn't have to be a big
event. Maybe it's just trying anew coffee shop, or going for a
hike, or having a moviemarathon. Knowing you have
something fun on the horizon cancarry you through those first
few challenging days.
Emily (15:00):
Now, here's one of our favorite tips from our friend
Sharika, which is so funnybecause I was thinking about her
when you were talking about thepillow spray, because she always
had a pillow spray that sheloved. We all knew this about
her, because she loved thispillow spray so much. So here's
another great tip from Sharika.You want to leave at the end of
your contract time on the firstday. So to make that happen, you
(15:23):
need to prepare your second dayof school at the same time as
your first day. Day one is goingto be exhausting no matter how
well it goes, and so the lastthing that you're going to want
to do is stay late trying toprepare for day two.
Heidi (15:34):
Exactly. This way you can go home and actually use that
recovery kit you prepared. Anddon't let this sound like a
difficult goal, the second dayof school is basically a light
version of the first day. Sowhile you're doing all that
first day planning, you may aswell figure out day two at the
same time.
Emily (15:51):
Yeah, and can you imagine how cared for you will feel on
the first day of school if youtake some time in July to
prepare for those first few daysback.
So let's recap our three areasfor preparing yourself for back
to school.
Heidi (16:04):
First, prepare your life to support you. Set up meals,
outfits and home systems so thatyour personal life can run on
autopilot those first few weeks,and don't forget to literally
schedule rest time in yourcalendar.
Emily (16:18):
Second, prepare your teaching self. Reconnect with
your goals, gather supplies thatsupport your well being, and
stock your classroom withpersonal essentials. Think of it
as caring for the whole personwho happens to be a teacher.
Heidi (16:31):
And third, prepare your recovery plan. Build a kit for
post school decompression, plansomething fun to look forward
to, and prep day two at the sametime that you prep day one so
that you can actually leave ontime.
Emily (16:43):
We would love to hear how you prepare for taking care of
yourself at back to school. Comeshare your best tips in our
Teacher Approved Facebook group.
Now for our Teacher Approved Tipof the Week, where we share an
actionable tip to help youelevate what matters and
simplify the rest. This week'steacher approved tip is to
create a Sunday reset routinethat will save your sanity all
(17:05):
year long. So Heidi tell us moreabout this.
Heidi (17:07):
A Sunday reset routine is basically a gentle way to prep
for the week ahead withoutfeeling overwhelmed. The key is
keeping it simple andmanageable, maybe 30 minutes to
45 minutes max. Start with justthree quick wins, maybe a
surface level tidy of yourliving space, some light meal
prep or planning, and laying outyour clothes for Monday. That's
(17:28):
it. This can become a gentleritual to help you transition
from the weekend to work mode.The goal is to eliminate some
decisions from your busyweekdays. Using Sunday to make
Monday a little softer saves youprecious mental energy in a
moment when your brain isn'tfully online yet. And once you
get in the habit, this routineactually becomes relaxing. It's
(17:50):
like you're taking care of yourfuture self, which always feels
good.
Emily (17:54):
So why are we talking about this in July? Well, once
the school year starts, it's go,go, go. But right now, you have
space to experiment. You cantest out a Sunday routine that
actually supports you, notstresses you. That way, when
August hits, you're notscrambling to reinvent your
week.
Heidi (18:10):
If you want to make this routine even more nurturing,
pair it with something youenjoy. You can light a candle,
put on your favorite playlist ora podcast, pour a glass of
something delicious. Thisdoesn't have to be a
productivity sprint. It can justbe 30 minutes of peace and prep.
You can even give it a fun name,like your Sunday Soft Start, or
(18:31):
your Future Me Time. Call itsomething that makes it feel
like a treat, not a task.
Emily (18:36):
And if 30 minutes feels like too much, just start with
10. Pick one area, even thatsmall step can create a feeling
of calm momentum. Mondays arealways going to be Mondays, but
they don't have to be miserable.So give your Sunday a little
intention, and you might besurprised how much smoother your
whole week feels.
Heidi (18:55):
To wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're giving
extra credit to this week. Andokay, Emily, this is the big
reveal. What is getting yourextra credit?
Emily (19:02):
I'm giving extra credit to my new favorite electrolytes
flavor. So element, which is L MN T, is my favorite.
Heidi (19:12):
I did not guess that that's how that was pronounced.
Emily (19:14):
I have called it L M N T for a year. I think it was like
a month ago that I was like,it's element, oh. So now we all
kno,w little lesson for us. Butthey're my favorite of, I've
tried several differentelectrolytes, and they're by far
my favorite. And they have a newflavor that's called lemonade
salt, and it is so good. I liketo mix it with a can of
(19:37):
sparkling water, and it's sonice on a hot day. I do think
it's a limited time flavor,though, so if you want to try
that specific flavor, youprobably want to hop on it. But
they have other ones that aregood. Their citrus salt one is
usually my go to, but they'vegot a bunch of different ones.
They apparently even have onethat's chocolate salt that
either you love or you hate.I've never tried it, but maybe I
(19:58):
will. Maybe I will.
Heidi (19:59):
Oh, wow, wild woman.
Emily (20:01):
I know, I know, but it there is something about
electrolytes. When you needthem, they just really make you
feel so much better. So, ifyou're thinking about them.
Heidi (20:11):
I have never tried, it's never even crossed my mind to
try it.
Emily (20:13):
Really? I think of, I think I started doing them last
summer, and I was like, Oh, thisis like a nice afternoon boost.
I mean, it's not like caffeineor anything, but it just like,
kind of, I don't know, makes youfeel better, but it is very
salty, so you have to be okaywith that. I think it's sort of
an acquired taste.
Heidi (20:31):
Okay. Well, maybe I'll give it a go. Maybe I'll steal
one of yours first.
Emily (20:35):
You should, you should. I've been trying to convert my
teenager that's in color guardand in the marching band and
like doing these long summerdays, trying to convert her to
electrolytes. And so we'vebought every kind of electrolyte
under the sun at this point, andshe still doesn't like any of
them
Heidi (20:52):
She's missing out clearly.
Emily (20:53):
Yeah, well, she is. What do you giving extra credit to,
Oh
Heidi (20:57):
Okay, well, my extra credit goes to these door hinge
Heidi?
of your house. And I just checked Tamed Wild, and right
magnets that I bought from TamedWild. Now I love a little sneaky
touch of whimsy in my house, andthese are so cute. They're just
little figures about one inchtall. I'm holding up my fingers.
That's not going to help you seethis. They're about an inch
tall, and they have a littlemagnet in their base. So they
sit on top of your door hingeand they just stay there. And I
(21:20):
wanted the gnome, but they wereout of stock, so I ended up
getting the dragon, which was agood choice, because I just love
it. And the fun surprise wasthat when it came it was a set
of three. I thought I was justgetting one, but it was a set of
three. So now I have a littledragon guarding over all of my
doorways. It's so cute.
(22:08):
now they only have the bunny andthe cat in stock, which are both
darling. But if you also want alittle door dragon or a frog or
a bat, and the bat is funbecause you can hang it upside
down on the bottom of your door.
Emily (22:18):
Cute.
Heidi (22:19):
You can sign up when they restock.
Emily (22:21):
I want the little gnome.
Heidi (22:23):
It's cute. There's a link to the store in the show notes,
if you also need a little touchof whimsy at your house.
Emily (22:30):
I feel like I'm on a mission to have more whimsy,
whimsy in my life, because Ididn't intentionally lose
whimsy. I think you just getbusy and you don't realize that,
like, you're missing thoselittle, fun little sparks. And
then you hear other people,well, since this has been, like,
the online trend right onthreads and stuff, Instagram, of
people sharing what they do toadd whimsy in their life. And
(22:53):
I'm like, oh, everybody's havingmore fun than I am. I gotta give
it, get on this, because I feellike I, it's, my personality
should be more whimsy, but I'mjust always like, go, go, go. So
I appreciate this easy toimplement idea for whimsy.
Heidi (23:08):
That's why I like whimsy, because it's like, manageable
fun. You don't need to round upa bunch of people, you don't
have to make plans. You're justlike, I'm just gonna have this
little funny inside joke withmyself and then it makes me
smile.
Emily (23:19):
And then that's how you have a little Sebastian in your
guest bathroom.
Heidi (23:24):
And a crossword puzzle, on the wall.
That is it for today's episode.We hope you feel inspired to
start preparing, not just yourclassroom, but yourself for
going back to school. Remember,our goal is to work smarter, not
harder. A little preparation nowcan save you so much stress and
energy later.
Emily (23:41):
So give the Sunday reset routine a try, start building
your recovery kit, and don'tforget to schedule some rest
time for those first few weeksback.
Heidi (23:52):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (23:56):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (24:03):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye for now.
Emily (24:09):
Bye.
This is episode 209 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:14):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:29):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:36):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we are sharing our beststrategies for preparing
yourself, not just yourclassroom, to go back to school,
and we've got a teacher approvedtip for creating a Sunday
routine that will save yoursanity all year long.
Heidi (00:52):
But first, it's time for a try it tomorrow, a favorite
quick win that you can try inyour life right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (01:00):
This week, take a photo of yourself doing something fun.
That's it. Just snap a pictureof you in a moment when you're
laughing, relaxing, adventuring,reading, hiking, gardening,
eating something delicious,watching the sunset, or just,
you know, not being a teacher.And then come October, when your
to do list is longer than theschool day, or in January, when
(01:21):
you're facing your 15th indoorrecess, you can have this nice
reminder of the you who existsoutside of school, the you who
still knows how to rest andlaugh and wander and feel joy.
So this photo can become avisual love note from summer you
to school year you.
Heidi (01:39):
The key is to keep this photo somewhere where you will
see it. Make it your phonebackground, or print it and tape
it inside your desk drawer. Or,you know, you can tuck it in
your planner where only you willspot it, but you'll see it every
day.
Emily (01:51):
You could put it in your joy drawer that we talked about
recently. That's a tonguetwister, joy drawer, right?
Isn't that what we called it?
Heidi (01:58):
Yes.
Emily (01:59):
So if you're doing something fun this week, even
something small, you can justpause for 30 seconds, snap a
photo and smile and save it forlater.
Heidi (02:07):
If you like this idea, or anything else that we share here
on the podcast, would you take asecond and give us a five star
rating? Ratings and reviews areone way that new listeners find
us. So every rating and reviewreally is a huge help to us.
Emily (02:20):
Over the years, we've created an extensive library of
back to school products. So tohelp you find the tools that
will make the start of your newyear easier, we are going to be
spotlighting our procedures androutines planning guide and
checklists today. I know it hassuch an exciting name.
Heidi (02:38):
It's hard to give it a name that people can find it,
but makes it sound compelling.There's not a good balance
there. But this is such animportant tool for helping you
get your school year started offon the right foot. We thought
through all of the differentprocedures that you might need
to make your classroom runsmoothly, and we added them all
to a handy dandy checklist. Youcan go through the checklist on
(03:00):
paper, or you can do itdigitally in Google Docs, and
then you can just check off thespecific procedures that you
need for your classroom.
Emily (03:07):
Then once you know which procedures you need, you can
open up the planning guide anddecide on the exact steps that
students need to follow,identify your role in making the
procedure happen smoothly, andoutline a plan for how to teach
the procedure to your class.
Heidi (03:23):
Once you have this kind of specific, personalized detail
about your procedures, you won'twant to start the year without
it. You can find a link to theprocedures and routines planning
guide and checklist in our shownotes.
Emily (03:34):
If you're feeling behind, tired, or like the summer
slipped away a little too fast,you are not alone. This episode
isn't about hustle orperfection. It's about creating
a soft landing so that whenschool starts, you don't crash
into it, you arrive, even if youare a little sleepy when you get
there.
Heidi (03:52):
But we're not going to focus too much on the classroom
right now. Instead, we arefocusing on the most important
part of back to school success,and that is you.
Emily (04:02):
Right. We spend so much time getting our classrooms
ready, and obviously that isvery important, but we often
forget to get ourselves ready.And we're not just talking about
having your teaching materialsorganized. We're talking about
how to truly prepare yourself,your life, your energy, your
recovery plan, so that you'reset up to actually thrive when
you go back to school.
Heidi (04:23):
Think about it this way, you wouldn't run a marathon
without training your body andpreparing your mind, right?
Hopefully not anyway. Teachingis an endurance sport too,
especially those first few weekswhen everything feels new and so
intense.
Emily (04:39):
Back to school season really demands a lot of
teachers, emotionally,physically, logistically, and
especially in those first coupleweeks. It can feel like your
entire life gets reroutedthrough your classroom. If
you're not ready, it will chewyou up and spit you out. So
let's talk about what we can donow, while summer still has some
breath in it to support yourfuture self.
Heidi (05:02):
We're going to walk through three simple categories
that will help you feel calm,capable, and a little more like
yourself when that first bellrings. The goal isn't to start
strong, it's to help you manageyour life, your energy and your
recovery, so that you cansustain your energy all year
long.
Emily (05:18):
Okay, let's dive into the first area, preparing your life
to support you. This meanssetting up your personal life so
it basically runs on autopilotfor those first few weeks.
Because, let's be honest,decision fatigue is real, and by
4pm on a school day at thebeginning of the school year,
the last thing you want to do isfigure out what's for dinner.
Heidi (05:38):
Oh, yeah, been there. We're not talking about being
perfect or even having it alltogether. This is about being
kind to your future self. Futureyou is going to be so tired,
possibly overwhelmed, anddefinitely not in the mood to
make a million tiny decisions.
Emily (05:54):
So let's start with food, because we all have to eat, and
we all know we're much nicer tobe around if we don't let
ourselves get hangry.
Heidi (06:02):
Oh yeah, guilty. So here's what we suggest. Prepare
freezer meals for the first oneto two weeks of school. This
isn't about doing anythingelaborate that's going to take
you all weekend to prepare.Think simple, nourishing meals
that you can dump on a ziplocand then tuck in the
freezer—soup, chili casseroles,or even just prepared
ingredients for tacos or stirfry.
Emily (06:24):
And don't forget to set up some emergency dinners too,
those pantry staples that canbecome a decent meal in 15
minutes when you're too tired tothink and you're either out of
freezer meals or you didn't havetime to make any. So that would
be things like pasta with jarredsauce and frozen vegetables, or
scrambled eggs and toast or abag of frozen dumplings. Those
can be lifesavers.
Heidi (06:45):
If you're someone who feels suffocated by the thought
of committing to regular mealplanning, try reframing it. This
isn't about a lifetimecommitment to schedules. You're
just trying to make a rough timea little smoother, the same way
that you would offer meals to afriend who just had a baby or to
someone who is recovering fromsurgery. It doesn't take a whole
lifestyle change, justscheduling an afternoon to
(07:07):
prepare some crock pot meals.
Emily (07:09):
And speaking of food, let's talk about your lunch
situation. Again, even if youdon't meal prep all year, having
a plan for your school lunchesthose first few weeks can make
such a difference, whetherthat's packing the same sandwich
every day, buying lunch, orprepping a week's worth of grain
bowls, just decide ahead of timeso that you're not defaulting to
a protein bar yet again.
Heidi (07:30):
Okay, next up we have outfit planning. It doesn't have
to be fancy. It doesn't have tobe expensive. Just pick out a
week or two's worth of outfitsthat make you feel confident and
comfortable and have them readyto go.
Emily (07:43):
Yeah, lay them out, take photos on your phone, whatever
works, the goal is to eliminatethat 'I have nothing to wear'
moment when you're alreadyrunning behind. Make as many
decisions as you can now, sothat your tired brain has one
less thing to deal with at backto school.
Heidi (07:57):
And since we're dealing with clothes, this is the
perfect time for a laundry resetand a grocery restock. Do all
the laundry, put it all away,that's the kicker, and stock up
on essentials so you're notscrambling for clean socks or
running out of coffee that firstweek.
Emily (08:14):
Take care of all those neglected home systems too. You
know, the things that have beenon your 'I'll deal with this
later' list all summer. You canset up automatic bill pay if you
haven't already, clean out yourcar, your future self will
really thank you for that one.Clean out your purse and your
teacher bag, get yourprescriptions refilled, or maybe
even prep your morning routineand practice it a few days
(08:36):
before school starts. I have toadmit, I think that would be
Heidi (08:37):
And here's something that sounds simple, but is actually
pretty impressive if youactually did that, but it would
be smart if you did
revolutionary. Block outrecovery time on your calendar
for that first week. Unlessyou're one of those people who
thrives on lots of socialinteraction, try to limit your
(08:58):
after school obligations forthose first few weeks. Scheduled
naps, no social evenings ornothing nights, right into your
planner.
Emily (09:06):
I love this because it gives you permission to say no
to things and prioritize yourown rest when you need it most.
Heidi (09:14):
All right, now that we've got your life set up to support
you, let's move on to preparingyour teaching self. This isn't
just about having the rightsupplies, though we will
definitely talk about those.It's about reconnecting with
your why and making space forthe teacher that you want to be
this year.
Emily (09:29):
Yeah, it's so easy to get caught up in all the logistics
and forget about the heart ofwhy we do this work. So start by
reflecting on your goals forthis school year, both personal
and professional. What kind ofteacher do you want to be? What
do you want your classroom tofeel like? How do you want to
take care of yourself this year?These big picture questions help
you approach the year withintention, instead of just
(09:51):
reacting to whatever comes yourway.
Heidi (09:53):
If you want support with this task in our digital back to
school readiness checklist,there's a whole section on
teacher preparation. One of theresources is a journal page with
guiding questions to help youreflect on what matters most as
you're heading into the newschool year.
Emily (10:09):
Once you've figured out your goals, it's time to figure
out your gear. Start with thebasics, comfortable shoes so you
can be on your feet for hours, awater bottle that you'll
actually use and a lunch bagthat makes you happy to pack a
lunch each day.
Heidi (10:22):
And then gather items that support your physical well
being, because if you aren'ttaking care of your body,
everything is just going to getso much harder.
Emily (10:29):
This is one of my favorite tips. Stock your desk
or classroom cupboard withpersonal essentials. Think of it
kind of like creating a survivalkit for your teacher self.
Heidi (10:38):
I love that. What kind of things are we talking about
here, Emily?
Emily (10:42):
Well, I think things like lip balm and hand lotion. Don't
you always find you need thosein the middle of the day when
you're feeling so dry.
Heidi (10:49):
So dry.
Emily (10:50):
Yes, and all the talking, and you'll want to pack some
protein bars or nuts or crackersand maybe some electrolyte
packets for those days when youforget to drink water until 2pm.
And my extra credit is going tobe useful for for these ideas,
so stay tuned for that.
Heidi (11:08):
Oh, that's intriguing.
Emily (11:10):
And don't forget personal care items like contact
solution. If you wear contactsyou know how it is that
suddenly, like something goeswrong with your contact and you
don't have any solution to dealwith it.
Heidi (11:20):
Ugh, the worst.
Emily (11:21):
Yeah, and then throat lozenges, if your throat is
feeling sore from all thetalking, pain reliever for sure
for headaches and cramps oranything else you might have,
you'll probably want suppliesfor upset stomachs. The Pepto
liquid gel caps are likeexcellent to keep on hand. Extra
hair ties, maybe even some mintsor gum.
Heidi (11:43):
And guess what, folks, there is a page for this in the
back to school readinesschecklist. We added more than 30
suggestions to the list already,but because it's digital, it is
so easy to edit the list toreflect the kinds of things that
you actually need to have onhand.
Emily (11:58):
And these might seem like small things, but when you're in
the thick of those first fewweeks, having systems in place
can make you feel so much moreprepared and confident. And just
having what you need in themoment that you need, it just
makes you feel like such a rockstar, like, Man, I wish I had
some lip balm right now and thenrealizing, Oh, I do. That's so
nice.
Heidi (12:18):
Such a lovely feeling to feel like you're cared for, even
if you're the one having to carefor yourself.
Emily (12:23):
Yep.
Heidi (12:24):
And that brings us to our final area, preparing your
recovery plan. This is thesection that's easiest to
overlook, but please don't blowthis off. It's honestly so
important. We are so good atthinking about how to start
strong, but you know, we rarelythink about how to recover well.
Emily (12:43):
Recovery isn't just about collapsing on the couch when you
get home, though sometimesthat's exactly what you need,
but it's more about havingintentional ways to help
yourself decompress andrecharge. So let's start with
building a recovery kit for yourpost school wind down. This is
like a little gift you give toyour future exhausted self.
Heidi (13:02):
I love this idea. When the first day ends, you want to
walk through your door and feellike you have stepped into a
soft cloud of, hey you, you'vegot this.
Emily (13:11):
So you can just grab a container and stock it with
supplies to help hamper yourselfafter a long, long day. So you
might want to put a bath bomb ora shower steamer in there so
that you can literally wash offthe school day, maybe some cozy
loungewear, or even a specialfirst week of school comfy
outfit that makes you feel cozy.
Heidi (13:30):
Lean into anything that reminds you that you're a real
human, not just a tired teacher.Stock up on your favorite treats
or get some gift cards for mealdelivery services, because
sometimes the most loving thingyou could do for yourself is not
cooking dinner.
Emily (13:45):
For sure, or get those groceries delivered, anything
like that to treat yourself.Also include some low energy
activities for when you want todecompress but you don't want to
just scroll your phone. So youcould get a coloring book, and
they have such cool differentkinds of coloring books now, you
could get a real fluffy readthat you've been wanting to
read, or a feel good moviethat's queued up and ready to
(14:07):
go.
Heidi (14:08):
And of course, Emily would always recommend having a
puzzle on hand.
Emily (14:12):
It's true. It's great way to decompress.
Heidi (14:14):
You can even prep your bedroom and bathroom with
relaxing essentials for bettersleep. Sleep is so important,
especially at the start of theschool year. So think fresh
sheets, a lavender pillow spray,or whatever is going to help you
unwind. Make your room an oasisof calm, you know, at least for
a couple days.
Emily (14:32):
And of course, there's a page full of ideas in the back
to school readiness checklist,so you can grab the checklist
from the link in the show notes.
Heidi (14:40):
One more idea for how to prepare your recovery is to
schedule something to lookforward to once the back to
school madness has calmed down.It doesn't have to be a big
event. Maybe it's just trying anew coffee shop, or going for a
hike, or having a moviemarathon. Knowing you have
something fun on the horizon cancarry you through those first
few challenging days.
Emily (15:00):
Now, here's one of our favorite tips from our friend
Sharika, which is so funnybecause I was thinking about her
when you were talking about thepillow spray, because she always
had a pillow spray that sheloved. We all knew this about
her, because she loved thispillow spray so much. So here's
another great tip from Sharika.You want to leave at the end of
your contract time on the firstday. So to make that happen, you
(15:23):
need to prepare your second dayof school at the same time as
your first day. Day one is goingto be exhausting no matter how
well it goes, and so the lastthing that you're going to want
to do is stay late trying toprepare for day two.
Heidi (15:34):
Exactly. This way you can go home and actually use that
recovery kit you prepared. Anddon't let this sound like a
difficult goal, the second dayof school is basically a light
version of the first day. Sowhile you're doing all that
first day planning, you may aswell figure out day two at the
same time.
Emily (15:51):
Yeah, and can you imagine how cared for you will feel on
the first day of school if youtake some time in July to
prepare for those first few daysback.
So let's recap our three areasfor preparing yourself for back
to school.
Heidi (16:04):
First, prepare your life to support you. Set up meals,
outfits and home systems so thatyour personal life can run on
autopilot those first few weeks,and don't forget to literally
schedule rest time in yourcalendar.
Emily (16:18):
Second, prepare your teaching self. Reconnect with
your goals, gather supplies thatsupport your well being, and
stock your classroom withpersonal essentials. Think of it
as caring for the whole personwho happens to be a teacher.
Heidi (16:31):
And third, prepare your recovery plan. Build a kit for
post school decompression, plansomething fun to look forward
to, and prep day two at the sametime that you prep day one so
that you can actually leave ontime.
Emily (16:43):
We would love to hear how you prepare for taking care of
yourself at back to school. Comeshare your best tips in our
Teacher Approved Facebook group.
Now for our Teacher Approved Tipof the Week, where we share an
actionable tip to help youelevate what matters and
simplify the rest. This week'steacher approved tip is to
create a Sunday reset routinethat will save your sanity all
(17:05):
year long. So Heidi tell us moreabout this.
Heidi (17:07):
A Sunday reset routine is basically a gentle way to prep
for the week ahead withoutfeeling overwhelmed. The key is
keeping it simple andmanageable, maybe 30 minutes to
45 minutes max. Start with justthree quick wins, maybe a
surface level tidy of yourliving space, some light meal
prep or planning, and laying outyour clothes for Monday. That's
(17:28):
it. This can become a gentleritual to help you transition
from the weekend to work mode.The goal is to eliminate some
decisions from your busyweekdays. Using Sunday to make
Monday a little softer saves youprecious mental energy in a
moment when your brain isn'tfully online yet. And once you
get in the habit, this routineactually becomes relaxing. It's
(17:50):
like you're taking care of yourfuture self, which always feels
good.
Emily (17:54):
So why are we talking about this in July? Well, once
the school year starts, it's go,go, go. But right now, you have
space to experiment. You cantest out a Sunday routine that
actually supports you, notstresses you. That way, when
August hits, you're notscrambling to reinvent your
week.
Heidi (18:10):
If you want to make this routine even more nurturing,
pair it with something youenjoy. You can light a candle,
put on your favorite playlist ora podcast, pour a glass of
something delicious. Thisdoesn't have to be a
productivity sprint. It can justbe 30 minutes of peace and prep.
You can even give it a fun name,like your Sunday Soft Start, or
(18:31):
your Future Me Time. Call itsomething that makes it feel
like a treat, not a task.
Emily (18:36):
And if 30 minutes feels like too much, just start with
10. Pick one area, even thatsmall step can create a feeling
of calm momentum. Mondays arealways going to be Mondays, but
they don't have to be miserable.So give your Sunday a little
intention, and you might besurprised how much smoother your
whole week feels.
Heidi (18:55):
To wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're giving
extra credit to this week. Andokay, Emily, this is the big
reveal. What is getting yourextra credit?
Emily (19:02):
I'm giving extra credit to my new favorite electrolytes
flavor. So element, which is L MN T, is my favorite.
Heidi (19:12):
I did not guess that that's how that was pronounced.
Emily (19:14):
I have called it L M N T for a year. I think it was like
a month ago that I was like,it's element, oh. So now we all
kno,w little lesson for us. Butthey're my favorite of, I've
tried several differentelectrolytes, and they're by far
my favorite. And they have a newflavor that's called lemonade
salt, and it is so good. I liketo mix it with a can of
(19:37):
sparkling water, and it's sonice on a hot day. I do think
it's a limited time flavor,though, so if you want to try
that specific flavor, youprobably want to hop on it. But
they have other ones that aregood. Their citrus salt one is
usually my go to, but they'vegot a bunch of different ones.
They apparently even have onethat's chocolate salt that
either you love or you hate.I've never tried it, but maybe I
(19:58):
will. Maybe I will.
Heidi (19:59):
Oh, wow, wild woman.
Emily (20:01):
I know, I know, but it there is something about
electrolytes. When you needthem, they just really make you
feel so much better. So, ifyou're thinking about them.
Heidi (20:11):
I have never tried, it's never even crossed my mind to
try it.
Emily (20:13):
Really? I think of, I think I started doing them last
summer, and I was like, Oh, thisis like a nice afternoon boost.
I mean, it's not like caffeineor anything, but it just like,
kind of, I don't know, makes youfeel better, but it is very
salty, so you have to be okaywith that. I think it's sort of
an acquired taste.
Heidi (20:31):
Okay. Well, maybe I'll give it a go. Maybe I'll steal
one of yours first.
Emily (20:35):
You should, you should. I've been trying to convert my
teenager that's in color guardand in the marching band and
like doing these long summerdays, trying to convert her to
electrolytes. And so we'vebought every kind of electrolyte
under the sun at this point, andshe still doesn't like any of
them
Heidi (20:52):
She's missing out clearly.
Emily (20:53):
Yeah, well, she is. What do you giving extra credit to,
Oh
Heidi (20:57):
Okay, well, my extra credit goes to these door hinge
Heidi?
of your house. And I just checked Tamed Wild, and right
magnets that I bought from TamedWild. Now I love a little sneaky
touch of whimsy in my house, andthese are so cute. They're just
little figures about one inchtall. I'm holding up my fingers.
That's not going to help you seethis. They're about an inch
tall, and they have a littlemagnet in their base. So they
sit on top of your door hingeand they just stay there. And I
(21:20):
wanted the gnome, but they wereout of stock, so I ended up
getting the dragon, which was agood choice, because I just love
it. And the fun surprise wasthat when it came it was a set
of three. I thought I was justgetting one, but it was a set of
three. So now I have a littledragon guarding over all of my
doorways. It's so cute.
(22:08):
now they only have the bunny andthe cat in stock, which are both
darling. But if you also want alittle door dragon or a frog or
a bat, and the bat is funbecause you can hang it upside
down on the bottom of your door.
Emily (22:18):
Cute.
Heidi (22:19):
You can sign up when they restock.
Emily (22:21):
I want the little gnome.
Heidi (22:23):
It's cute. There's a link to the store in the show notes,
if you also need a little touchof whimsy at your house.
Emily (22:30):
I feel like I'm on a mission to have more whimsy,
whimsy in my life, because Ididn't intentionally lose
whimsy. I think you just getbusy and you don't realize that,
like, you're missing thoselittle, fun little sparks. And
then you hear other people,well, since this has been, like,
the online trend right onthreads and stuff, Instagram, of
people sharing what they do toadd whimsy in their life. And
(22:53):
I'm like, oh, everybody's havingmore fun than I am. I gotta give
it, get on this, because I feellike I, it's, my personality
should be more whimsy, but I'mjust always like, go, go, go. So
I appreciate this easy toimplement idea for whimsy.
Heidi (23:08):
That's why I like whimsy, because it's like, manageable
fun. You don't need to round upa bunch of people, you don't
have to make plans. You're justlike, I'm just gonna have this
little funny inside joke withmyself and then it makes me
smile.
Emily (23:19):
And then that's how you have a little Sebastian in your
guest bathroom.
Heidi (23:24):
And a crossword puzzle, on the wall.
That is it for today's episode.We hope you feel inspired to
start preparing, not just yourclassroom, but yourself for
going back to school. Remember,our goal is to work smarter, not
harder. A little preparation nowcan save you so much stress and
energy later.
Emily (23:41):
So give the Sunday reset routine a try, start building
your recovery kit, and don'tforget to schedule some rest
time for those first few weeksback.
Heidi (23:52):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (23:56):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (24:03):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye for now.
Emily (24:09):
Bye.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.