Whether you’ve been teaching two years or twenty, winter break is always a welcome occurrence. With most schools about midway through their year, teachers can use these two weeks to relax and recharge so they can continue to challenge and keep up with their students until June. Here are some suggestions for how to get the most out of your holiday break.
- 1. Really go on break
It can’t be said enough—if you really want to enjoy your time away from work, then you must put all your work away. Shut down your computer, turn off all notifications if your phone is connected to your work email, and tell colleagues you’d love to talk to them about anything but school.
- Take a vacation from technology
Turning off your work screen is vital, but so is taking some time away from all technology. That means your phone, too! This doesn’t have to be for very long though; just give yourself an hour or two a few times during the break to unplug and unwind.
- Spend time outside
Even if it’s cold where you’ll be spending your holiday vacation, spend time in nature as much as possible to de-stress yourself, especially if the sun is shining!
- Read for fun
When you’re a teacher, it seems there’s always more to learn about the profession, which means you may find yourself researching and reading a lot. This holiday break, pick up a book and simply read for enjoyment. It could be mystery, romance, nonfiction, sci-fi, classic literature, as long as you choose what you’re reading.
- Take a nap
Is there anything more luxurious than sleeping in the middle of the day? However, napping is never an option for teachers during the school year. One day during the break pull the shades, put on relaxing music, and put a Do Not Disturb sign on the door if your family is around so they know that napping is serious business.
- Spend time with non-teacher friends
It’s important to spend time with all your friends whenever possible, but hanging out with your friends who don’t share the same profession will make it less likely that you’ll talk shop when you should be discussing anything else (see tip #1).
- Cook or bake
If you enjoy working in the kitchen, you probably don’t have a ton of time to explore this hobby while you’re grading papers, lesson planning, or answering emails from parents. Take this time to experiment with a new a recipe, try your hand at a different type of cuisine, or bake delicious presents for family and friends.
- Binge your favorite show
It’s not likely you get much opportunity to binge shows during the school week. Hopefully, you can take a day during the holiday break to catch up on all the episodes of your favorite drama or comedy that you’ve missed.
- Stay in bed
At least one morning during break, try to lounge around in bed for as long as your conscience (or family) will let you. If possible, have breakfast in bed while you engage in tip #4 or #8!
By Kelli Drummer-Avendano
[…] Also read: 9 Tips for Teachers during Holiday Break […]