The school year is more than half way over. It’s all downhill now…it may be a slow trek for some or go by in a blink of an eye for others.
The truth is…
It’s hard to get energized after the holidays, even if you have approximately 2 weeks off to recharge. Two weeks of a holiday break feels more like a day trip. Quick, fun, good food, and then…….it’s done.
Speaking of a day trip, that’s number one on my list of ways to hit reset!
- Take a trip. A day trip or a longer trip…just take a trip! Go somewhere new in your own city. A different perspective will rejuvenate you. You don’t have to spend tons of money to visit local sites and take advantage of holiday events.
- Give yourself permission to do nothing. Or anything. Just do what you want! I have this terrible habit of feeling guilty when I am being, “lazy” (i.e. when I am not working). I even feel guilty if I decide to do work-cue the “you shouldn’t be working, you should be taking a break!” So, I am promising myself this holiday season to give myself permission to do what I want in order to hit reset….even if that means pie for breakfast and all day pj and cuddle session with my littles.
- Reconnect with old friends that are in town- one of the best part about the holidays is seeing old friends that come in town to see family members. I still live two miles away from where I grew up so I’m lucky enough to see my old friends from my childhood that I don’t see on a regular basis because they either moved away or we don’t travel in the same circles anymore.
- Hangout with work friends and not talk about work. Some of my best friends are work friends. The trick is to hang out without discussing work related ANYTHING. It really is tempting to talk about the new school initiative or midyear testing but you must remember that you likely have something in common with your work friends other than work!
- Do a little retail therapy– after Christmas is a great time to grab some awesome deals on a treat for yourself. I have a cardigan and scarf obsession (as in I wear the cardigan/scarf combo almost 7 days a week) so I typically toss a few old cardis and pick up some new ones for the new year and stock up on scarves so I can keep my “teacher lady uniform” (as my husband calls it) fressshhh!
- Get a new calendar and/or planner. I used to spend hours. Yes, that is supposed to be hourS(plural) looking for the best planner and calendar to use in the new year. Until I found Erin Condren’s Life Planner that is- I’m hooked and don’t need to spend hours parsing planners and calendars this year! I urge you to find your calendar/planner soulmate, too! Holiday break is a wonderful time to look ahead and make goals for the new year.
- Plan something special for the future. It’s awesome to have something to look forward to. You may be thinking- hey! Summer is enough to look forward to! However, planning a proper vacation or saving for a cool new home improvement will get you looking forward and not constantly dwelling on the immediate pressures of teaching.
I truly hope that all of you have a wonderful and relaxing holiday break. I know that teaching is the HARDEST job in the world. Take care of yourself, you can’t pour from an empty cup!
Need ideas for teacher gifts, check out my post on 5 Amazing Gifts to Give Teachers Under $20.
So, how do you plan to energize yourself during the holidays so you can continue being a teacher rock star until summer? I’d love to hear in the comments below!