A Time To Rest – Guilt Free Holidays
We are on our Spring Break!
Teachers all over Australia have just heaved a huge sigh of relief.
We pulled down the blinds, shutdown our PCs, gave our colleagues a warm farewell, and drove out the gate.
Holidays!
What a wild 10 weeks it has been.
Education Week, Book Week, sports carnivals, performing arts festivals, excursions, adventures and all kinds of events. We are implementing new units of work and preparing for upcoming syllabus changes. We have turned up day after day to deliver high quality lessons. We supported families with immense challenges and students with unique needs. We have dealt with every kind of behaviour you can possibly imagine, and many that you can’t.
And now… it is time to rest, refresh, relax and recharge – and prepare to do it all again.
So why do we find it so hard to totally switch off?
Why do teachers feel guilty about holidays?
Well, we get teased for them… A LOT!
Sometimes light-heartedly, sometimes with a hidden barb underneath.
Most people don’t want our job.
The idea of being responsible for the education and socialisation of 30 children that aren’t your own, completely terrifies the average adult.
Why would anyone choose to do that day after day?
There can only be one reason – the holidays.
They are wrong.
The holidays are great.
But that is not why we do it.
We do it because the next generation is so important.
We do it because society desperately needs awesome teachers.
We do it because we care about children and providing them with the best possible chance at success.
We do it because every day we make a difference.
So…
Savour every moment of the next two weeks.
Be grateful for the chance to slow down.
Soak it in.
Do the things that bring you joy.
Hug the people you love.
Play in the park with your kids.
Take your partner on a date night.
Binge a great show.
Eat yummy food.
Catch up with dear friends.
Read books.
Laze in the sun.
Explore a new hobby.
Go for a walk in nature.
Have a “nanna nap”.
Rest, recharge and refresh.
How to be a happy teacher… rest and enjoy a guilt free holiday!
Thanks for reading,
Jen
We all know that most teachers have to (choose to) work during their holidays.
For some tips to keep that in balance, keep reading.
I totally understand the pressure there is to keep working over the holidays.
Books need to be marked.
Programs need to be written.
Loose ends need to be tied up.
In two weeks’ time we launch again – and we need to be ready.
But…
I also know that these holidays are vital for my personal well-being.
They are also vital for my family and my marriage and my friendships.
We MUST take this time to invest in our own people.
So this is what I do:
* Take a few days to rest and catch my breath.
Right now, as I am editing this post, Shane and I are driving over the Blue Mountains. We are heading away for two nights to an “Airbnb” farm stay at Bathurst. We will wander farmer’s markets, eat local produce, sip good coffee and visit local wineries.We will drive a lap or two of Mt Panorama, explore bush trails, breathe the fresh air, sit on a verandah, sleep in (well I will), and continue building our marriage.Stopping to take time out is so very important.
* Decide on the absolute MUST DO jobs for the 2 weeks.
Then do them!
“Eat the Frog First” – see the earlier post I wrote if you need some motivation.
This holiday I need to wipe all our plantation shutters, clear my bathroom cupboards, sort out my closet (pack up winter, unpack summer), clean the oven.
* Complete a deliberate “check in” on my health (physical and mental).
What needs to change. What is not working. What is. Reconnect with the things that are truly important and release the things that do not serve me well. (Next week’s blog is about our overall health.)
* Get the school work done.
I have responsibilities to take care of before the new term starts.
I can’t just ostrich my head in the sand and pretend that doesn’t exist.
So… I will be setting aside 2 half days.
Any more than that is me doing things that can probably wait.
It’s my workaholism (let’s call it what it really is) rising up.
So..
On one day – I will complete the administration tasks hanging over me; marking, programming, emails, office tasks.
On the other day – I will go in to school and sort out my classroom. I will do all the things I walked away from but don’t want to walk back into on day 1 term 4. (Pin up artwork, attack my storeroom, sort out the resources, tidy my shelves)
Setting aside these pre-planned days means:
1. I get it done.
2. I don’t resent it (quite as much).
3. I don’t have it hanging over me.
4. I don’t let it seep into other days of rest and contaminate them.
As always if you need support in any area, click “Contact Me” in the menu.
Have a great holiday, I’m sure you deserve it!!!
