A Holiday Break To Do List For Teachers
Time for a break!
When teachers get a chance for a break, it is a really important time of rest. The school year is full of planning, student discipline, new initiatives, deadlines, parent conferences, meetings, etc. It is a very demanding occupation, it is one that if you haven’t done it, it is really hard to understand the level of difficulty involved. When it is time for a holiday break, it is a much-needed respite for teachers so that they can get renewed and refreshed for the remainder of the school year. Here is a list of things that teachers need to do when they are on break.
Disconnect from your email and other school communication.
This is very important; it is really important that you disconnect from your school responsibilities. If you have your school email on your cell phone, disconnect it. Put your laptop away in a closet somewhere so that you aren’t tempted to check it. Whoever reaches out to you during the break can wait until the break is over. Don’t be tempted to catch up on work or go into your classroom to do work. It is important that you have the physical and mental break from school so that you can be refreshed upon your return.
Nothing.
If you are the type of person that enjoys doing nothing every now and then, this is the perfect time to carve out a chunk of time to do nothing. If you can have a day where you stay in your pajamas, eat your favorite foods or snacks and binge watch your favorite shows or do your favorite indoor activity; this is the time. You may just want to take a nap, whatever it is now is the optimal time to have a day of nothingness.
Spend Time With Family and Friends.
It is highly likely that there are some loved ones that you do not get a chance to spend time with due to the demands of your occupation. Spend some time this holiday season calling some of them or making plans to go to lunch or dinner with them. Maybe you want to get a group of friends and family together so you may decide to host a potluck game night, which is easy on you but a lot of fun at the same time. Whatever you enjoy, spending some time with those that you care about is a great use of time during the holiday break.
Of course, you don’t need an actual to do list for your holiday break. However, we often need the reminder to take care of ourselves and the best time to do this is when we have a scheduled break from work. You may be tempted to work or get caught up; this is not the time. This is your time, and it is important that you use it to take care of you. Even if you can’t devote the whole break to yourself care it is crucial to carve at least a small portion of time for you. It will go a long way for your mental health.