The school day is a long one. We arrive in the wee hours of the morning and are pretty much nonstop from there. I wouldn’t refer to our planning time as a “break” either since it’s spent making copies, planning lessons, calling parents, or in mandatory meetings. That said, here are three teacher items I can’t live without to help me make it through each school day. Think of them as Linus’ security blanket, if you will.
3 Teacher Items I Can’t Live Without
1. Comfy shoes
Comfortable shoes are a must to get through the school day. When I first started out, I would wear cute wedges, sandals, and other unsupportive shoes. Now, I couldn’t care less! As teachers, we are on our feet for a majority of the workday. Not only are we up and about teaching our students, but let’s not forget the amount of time we walk to and from different places in the building.
Since I teach elementary school, each day I also walk my students to and from fine arts, to and from the cafeteria, and to and from recess (while stuck standing the entire 30 minutes of recess supervising). I go back to my room after each drop-off, not including running around to meetings or the copy machine during those times. I stick to sneakers like my Asics Gel-Kayanos or Hoka Bondis, and casual, flat slip-ons from TOMS (and occasionally my beloved Birkenstocks when I am feeling brave) these days. I’m not winning any fashion awards, to say the least, but my feet thank me every night. And yes, those aforementioned sneakers also double as my workout sneakers.
Plus, check out our updated list of the best shoes for teachers for even more comfy ideas. Every shoe in my closet is on the list, so I must be doing something right!
2. A massive water bottle (OK, many massive water bottles)
I can’t stress this enough: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! We spend our day talking. A LOT. This leads to a dry mouth and throat. Coupled with all of the aforementioned standing and walking, and all the brain power teaching involves, we expend a ton of energy all day long. Water keeps our bodies running and gives us the energy we need throughout the day. Even mild dehydration will make you feel drained of energy and make your organs work on overdrive. (As a side note, no matter how busy you are, please, PLEASE, don’t skip lunch. Even if you have to shovel it in your mouth at the copy machine, eat something!)
You may think you are drinking enough each day, but guess what? You aren’t! Our bodies need water ALL THE TIME. The old standard guideline of 8 cups/64 ounces of water per day isn’t even enough. Most experts today lean toward 11.5 cups for women and 15.5 cups for men.
I started keeping two large refillable water bottles at my desk because, frankly, I am obsessed with keeping hydrated. I have also had the pleasure of accidentally spilling or dropping my water bottle more than once and being stuck without any water until my next break. Not fun. I now err on the side of caution at all costs!
Personally, I love my eggplant-colored 32-ounce Hydro Flask for my main water bottle. It’s my favorite color, which automatically is soothing to me. It keeps my water nice and cool all day long on my desk, and the handle makes it easy to carry around from my room to meetings and other locations. I prefer the wide Flex Cap model because I can sip out of it like a regular glass and screw the lid back on to prevent leaks or spills.
I keep a trusty BPA-free, wide-mouth, 32-ounce Nalgene in my mini-fridge for when I do need a refill or backup. I have a bunch of them. Lots of different bands, sports teams, and others use these for merch with logos and such, providing an undercover way to show off your personality. You can buy solid colors to keep it simple, or you can bling it out with your favorite stickers. The newer models have the lid attached, while it is fully removable on older styles.
And no, you don’t need to spend a fortune or camp out overnight for the latest trendy reusable water bottle. I’ve had the same ones for years and don’t feel the need to buy a newer, fancier model. However, it’s totally understandable if you want the most modern and latest out there. Our list of best teacher water bottles for the classroom has something for everyone to help you choose.
3. Laneige’s Lip Glowy Balm
Lip balm is another item I can’t live without. All that talking throughout the day to students, colleagues, and parents leads to dry and chapped lips. There are so many out there to choose from, and I have tried a bunch over the years. My favorite these days is Laneige’s Lip Glowy Balm, but you do you. I would recommend something easy to apply with a built-in applicator, so you aren’t dipping your finger into a lip balm pot. Keep those at home. Don’t even get me started on how many germs you are probably touching each day with all those kids in your room and around the building. (I could write a whole piece just on handwashing and keeping my favorite hand lotion on my desk, but I digress.)