Make The Most of Winter Break

So, winter break is finally here and it is time to sit back and relax, right? But it’s not always so easy for teachers. It’s so easy to use that time off to grade assignments, plan lessons, and generally do everything possible except relaxing. Today we want to give you our best tips for making the most of your winter break by relaxing and getting a tiny bit of work done, too.

1.      Prioritize time with your family and friends. It is the holiday season. Take time away from work to simply be with the people you care about. This may mean planning fun trips or it may mean watching movies all day on the couch. Leave your work behind and just enjoy being in the moment.

2.      Try to stick to your regular sleep schedule. Sleeping in once or twice isn’t going to hurt, but if you get used to waking up at nine in the morning every day, you’ll have a difficult time getting up for work when vacation is over. Plus by getting up early you have more daylight to do things!

3.      Read a book. How often do you get to sit down and read just for yourself during the school year? Reading is a great way to relax and a great way to exercise your brain.

4.      Take some time to relax with just you. Teaching is a lot of hard work and you need time to recharge. Relax. Go to a movie by yourself. Get a massage. Do something you enjoy that lets you unwind.

5.      Take some time to reflect on how the school year has been going. What worked in your classroom? What didn’t? What changes can you make to improve the rest of the year? You don’t have to plan out all new lessons, but taking some time to re-assess is a great idea.

6.      Allow yourself to try out a new hobby. Try cooking or baking, something you probably already do because you have to, but that can be an activity you enjoy. Try taking a painting class. Pick up a craft kit or try out knitting, which can easily be put down and picked back up. Winter break is a great time to try doing something you’ve been interested in.

7.      Plan your calendar, both for home and for school. Put everything on one specific calendar so you can easily reference it. What big school deadlines do you have to keep track of? What plans have you made? Get this organized now to reduce stress down the road.

8.      If you do have work that you absolutely must get done, limit it. Give yourself only a set number of hours. Don’t get so distracted by work that you don’t relax…you want to be energized when school starts back up.