Even when winter break comes, most teachers still have a pile of work to complete. Working through your breaks can drain your energy for the rest of the school year. Here are ten reasons you shouldn’t work through your winter break.
10 Reasons to Put Work Aside Over Winter Break
When you’re considering taking out your stack of papers to grade or the lesson planner book over winter break, remember these 10 reasons to set it aside:
1. Your rest is important.
Tired, cranky teachers aren’t going to be effective or patient in the classroom. Take this time to catch up on some sleep, rest, and recharge.
2. You need a mental break to recharge your ideas and energy.
Spending every day grading, dealing with high stress scenarios, and leading children toward knowledge is tough. Take a few days to let your mental batteries recharge so you can come back with fresh ideas and more energy.
3. Your family and friends need your time too.
While work is certainly important, you need to allow time for your family and friends. If you spend your entire break working, you are short changing other important people in your life.
4. Cherish special times.
Holidays are special times of the year to celebrate with family and friends. Don’t cut out making your own memories just because you still have essays to grade.
5. Follow your creative pursuits.
Most teachers have hobbies and interests outside of their work. Break is a great time to pursue those interests without guilt or feeling like you are stealing time from your classroom. Tackle your special projects and interests during the winter holiday.
6. Take a vacation to somewhere special.
If you’re going to travel over winter break – whether it is to see family or get away from it all – don’t let your grading and planning weigh you down while you go. Leave your lesson plans for when you return so you can truly enjoy your vacation
7. Keep a fresh perspective on student work.
If you’re forcing yourself to grade and plan over break, your viewpoint on student work will suffer. Don’t be too harsh on your students because you are creating a stressful atmosphere for yourself while grading during vacation.
8. Use the time to brainstorm rather than work.
The creative freedom and relaxation of break can be the perfect time to brainstorm, generate pie in the sky ideas, or let your brain roam free on what you might like to do in the second half of your school year.
9. Learn something new.
Instead of dedicating yourself to grinding through grading and lesson planning, take winter break to learn a new thing that you can incorporate into your life or your career. It can be exciting and recharging to learn a new skill or concept.
10. The work will still be there when you return.
No matter how much work you have to do, it will still be there when you return from break. Take the time to rest, recharge, and enjoy your time off and work hard upon your return to the school year.
More Winter Break & Teacher Life Tips
Looking for more tips on taking advantage of the winter break or some of the top must-haves on teacher lists for this year? Check out the other posts on the Teacher Life category page, and be sure to stop by the online store to find thousands of Teacher Favorite products.
