By Chelsea Buchanan
According to a 2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey, more than 75 percent of teachers reported frequent job-related stress. Educators have always faced stress in their roles, but the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased pressures on teachers, contributing to emotional exhaustion, burnout, and higher turnover intentions. The survey also found that nearly one in four teachers were likely to leave their jobs in 2021—an increase from the pre-pandemic average of about one in six.
With so many educators feeling overwhelmed, accessible tools and practical resources that support self-care and wellbeing are essential. Reading can be a low-cost, high-impact way for teachers to explore new strategies, build resilience, and cultivate habits that improve both professional performance and personal health. Below is a curated list of highly rated self-care books particularly helpful for educators seeking research-informed practices, mindfulness techniques, and actionable plans to reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing.
Here are five highly rated self-care books for educators to read this year:
1. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown (4.24 stars on Goodreads)
Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor whose work on shame, courage, and vulnerability has resonated with leaders across professions. In Daring Greatly she invites readers to reframe vulnerability as a strength rather than a weakness. For educators, the book offers language and frameworks to build stronger classroom relationships, model authenticity for students, and practice self-compassion when lessons or interactions don’t go as planned. The ideas can help teachers approach feedback, collaboration, and risk-taking with greater confidence and less fear of imperfection.
2. Take Time for You: Self-Care Action Plans for Educators by Tina H. Boogren (4.08 stars on Goodreads)
Tina H. Boogren offers a practical, school-focused approach to self-care, using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a foundation to help teachers create individualized plans. The book breaks self-care into manageable, research-based strategies and includes reflection prompts and daily practices that fit into busy schedules. Educators can use this as a handbook to identify priorities, set boundaries, and design routines that replenish energy and sustain passion for teaching.
3. Real Happiness at Work: Meditations for Accomplishment, Achievement, and Peace by Sharon Salzberg (4.03 stars on Goodreads)
Sharon Salzberg, a veteran meditation teacher, focuses this title on applying mindfulness and compassion in the workplace. The book offers guided practices and short meditations designed to reduce stress, improve focus, and cultivate patience—skills especially useful in classroom settings. For teachers, these practices can support emotional regulation during challenging moments, enhance presence with students, and foster a calmer, more intentional school day.
4. The Way of Mindful Education: Cultivating Well-Being in Teachers and Students by Daniel Rechtschaffen (4.02 stars on Goodreads)
Mindfulness has been integrated into many classrooms because of its benefits for attention, emotional regulation, and social connection. Daniel Rechtschaffen’s practical guide offers exercises and classroom-ready ideas that help teachers and students develop greater awareness and compassion. The book emphasizes simple, repeatable practices that can be woven into daily routines, helping to create calmer learning environments while supporting teacher wellbeing.
5. 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris (3.91 stars on Goodreads)
Journalist Dan Harris chronicles his personal journey into mindfulness and meditation in a candid and accessible way. This book blends neuroscience, practical tips, and a healthy dose of skepticism about self-help fads. Teachers who are curious about meditation but unsure where to start may find the approachable tone and concrete suggestions helpful for building sustainable habits that reduce stress and improve focus.
These five books represent a range of perspectives on vulnerability, structured self-care, workplace mindfulness, classroom practices, and practical meditation. Reading about these approaches is only the first step—educators may find the greatest benefit when they experiment with small, consistent practices and adapt strategies to their unique schedules and school contexts. Small changes, practiced over time, often lead to meaningful improvements in energy, resilience, and job satisfaction.
Another powerful path to sustained wellbeing is strengthening social-emotional learning (SEL) within the school community. SEL skills—such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making—can be taught, modeled, and intentionally practiced by adults and students alike. Choosing an SEL curriculum that supports both teacher growth and student development helps create a healthier school culture and reinforces the self-care practices educators read about and try to adopt.
About the author
Chelsea Buchanan is the Director of Educational Services for 7 Mindsets. She oversees curriculum implementation and supports best practices in social-emotional learning for schools. Chelsea works with SEL leaders and educators across districts to guide professional development, coaching, and implementation efforts that aim to shift school culture and support both teacher and student wellbeing.