Surviving the Christmas Break as a Teacher
Teachers work hard, so when the Christmas break rolls around it’s the perfect time to put your feet up, relax and forget about work for a brief period. It’s not always easy to shut your brain off, but many teachers who don’t, end up feeling burnt out and over stressed. So how can you make sure you’re taking a well-earned break from marking and lesson planning this Christmas?
Ditch the emails
First thing’s first, turn off your emails and don’t check them once – not even ‘just for a second’. In order to feel revitalized, it’s vital you put the work away and switch off. Instead, spend time with your family, watch cheesy Christmas movies and read one of those books on your reading list.
Take a break from your colleagues
As much as you may enjoy the company of your colleagues, conversations can quickly turn to work chat and school life, which may not help you rest and revitalize yourself for the new year. Instead, forget about work responsibilities and spend time with family and old friends – there’s no better time for a catch up than Christmas.
Find time for yourself
As enjoyable as the festive period is, it can also be quite hectic and stressful as a result. Ensure you find time to put yourself first. Sleep in, treat yourself to a spa day, book a holiday, find time to relax and enjoy yourself. And most importantly, do not feel guilty about doing it. While it may be hard to completely switch off from tasks and responsibilities, you can combat this by setting aside time in the day, such as first thing in the morning, to get anything done, then spend the rest of the day just for you.
Get active
Often, teachers can find themselves unable to completely switch their minds off during the break. As well as diving into a good book, getting more active is a great way to relax your mind. Whether it’s a light morning jog, or a class with a friend, you’ll feel much more rejuvenated and energized thanks to a little regular exercise.
Get some support if you need it
Don’t ignore what your body and mind might be trying to tell you. If you feel like you might need extra support, whether that be a professional or just a friend to talk to, ensure you have a support network that can help ease some of the stresses of teaching.
Teaching is an incredibly rewarding, but often stressful job. No matter what, make sure you use the Christmas break as a chance to wind down, relax and more importantly enjoy yourself, so you feel prepared to tackle the year ahead!
For more teacher tips and tricks and teacher resources, visit Boom-Tastic.com.