Dear Educator, This One Is for You: 10 Small Ways to Look After Yourself

Dear Educator,

Before you read this, pour yourself a cup of tea. I'll wait.

Done? Good.

I know October has been a lot. University deadlines, recommendation letters, essay drafts at midnight, parents calling, exams around the corner, and Diwali preparations waiting at home. But October and November are different. These are the weeks when you take care of everyone, and quietly forget to take care of yourself.

So this week, I'm not writing about AI or rockets or the future of work. I'm writing to you. Here are 10 small things I'd love for you to try.

1. Take a five-minute break. Every single day.

Just five minutes. No phone, no laptop, no messages. Only you and your tea or coffee. It sounds too small to matter, but trust me, those five quiet minutes will do more for you than an hour of scrolling.

2. Take half a day off, every two weeks.

This is not your weekly off. We both know that day disappears into errands and chores. This is something else. Half a day, once every fortnight, that belongs only to you. Go for a walk somewhere green. Read a book you picked for pleasure. Cook something new. Tidy your room. Write. Do anything that is not routine. Put it in your calendar like a meeting, because it is one. A meeting with yourself.

3. Try deep work.

Some years ago I read Deep Work by Cal Newport, and it changed how I spend my days. His big idea is simple:

High-Quality Work Produced = Time Spent x Intensity of Focus

Newport talks about research by Sophie Leroy, who found that every time we switch tasks, a part of our attention stays stuck on the last one. She called it attention residue. Every WhatsApp ping during an essay review leaves a little behind. So here is what I do. I block 60 to 90 minutes for the work that matters most, keep my phone in another room, and reply to messages at fixed times. You'll be surprised how much lighter your day feels.

4. Breathe.

I mean it. Right now, take one slow breath in, and let it out even slower.

A Stanford study published in 2023 found that just five minutes a day of cyclic sighing lifted people's mood more than mindfulness meditation did. Try it: breathe in through your nose, take one more short breath in to fill your lungs, then let it all out slowly through your mouth. No app needed.

5. Pause and smile. Now.

Yes, right now. Just smile.

Because life is good. Because you care. Because every day, you help a young person figure out who they want to become. That matters more than you know.

As I write this, I'm thinking about you, and sending positive vibes your way. So pause, and smile.

6. Watch what you're watching.

What we consume shapes how we feel. If your late-night feed is full of outrage, bad news and comparison, you carry that into the next morning. Follow people who teach you something, inspire you or make you laugh. You deserve content that fills you up, not content that drains you.

7. Care, but don't carry.

This one is hard, I know. When a student is going through family pressure, a rejection or anxiety, it's natural to take that weight home.

But think about a good doctor. A doctor cares deeply for every patient, but doesn't become their friend. That calm distance is what lets them think clearly and help well. You must care. But being emotionally drained helps no one, least of all the student who needs you at your calmest.

Psychologists actually have names for this. Empathic distress is when someone's pain drains you. Compassion is when you stay steady and help. Telling the two apart is a core skill in careers like school psychology, counselling and social work, and maybe worth sharing with a student who is drawn to helping others.

8. You deserve a break.

Read that again. You've earned it. Rest is not a reward for finishing everything, because everything never finishes. So take the break, and please, take it without guilt.

9. Treat yourself.

Eat something you love. Don't count calories every day. And this Diwali, buy that one thing you've been dreaming about for months. You spend all year investing in others. It's okay to splurge on yourself sometimes.

10. WhatsApp me.

Whenever you find the time, message me on +91 98209 36420. If you just need someone to talk to, about students, work, or life, I'm happy to listen.

Before the Lights Go Up

Diwali is on Sunday, November 8 this year. So let me say it early: Happy Diwali in advance, to you and your family. May this festival bring you light, rest, and a little time that is only yours.

How Futurowise Can Help

So many ideas in this letter, from attention residue to why we can't stop scrolling, come from psychology and behavioural science. Our Psychology and Behavioral Economics programme helps students in Grades 9 to 12 understand how people think, decide and form habits. If you know a student who is curious about the human mind, this could be a lovely place for them to start.

Learn more about the programme: https://www.futurowise.com/programs/psychology-and-behavioral-economics

Warmly,

Devesh