Are You Ready for Spring Break?

Be it year one, year thirty-one, or somewhere between in your teaching career, I want to encourage you to prioritize yourself during Spring Break.  Whether you taught from home, in the schoolhouse, or did a little of both this school year, you are probably tired. I mean tired tired, like the first week of school tired. For me, the 2020 - 2021 school year has been…. ummm…. challenging. I spent exactly one year working from home, and while I have grown in many ways, I am ready to rest, reflect and rejuvenate. I’ve earned this time, and so have you. You deserve to hit pause. 

Far too often, educators prepare for vacation time by making a to-do list, and that list is full of work-related items. Resist the urge to make this break about catching up on work-related tasks. Don’t just break, BREAK! Prioritize you! 

Put on your vacation reminder, and do not look at your work email. Checking emails will only lead to answering emails. If you answer emails, you are working. Resist.

Plan at least one day, hopefully, more, where you do something that you enjoy. Read a book if that is your thing. Call friends or family and check-in; see how they are doing. Get a pedicure or see a movie or attend a yoga class. My point is, do you. 

If you are reading this and thinking, yeah, but I have so much to do for work. If I don't work during this break, I will only fall further behind, which will lead to more stress. Let me offer this possible solution. Take one day to work—just one day. Plan out the essential must-do items. Be realistic in your plan, putting only high-priority things on your list. Start working at the time you would typically start working and work until quitting time, then stop.

It is so important to fill your bucket. Prioritize yourself because you are worth it. Norm Kelly said, "You can't pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first." My understanding of this quote is if you have nothing left, you can't grow others. As educators, we develop, educate and pour into our students. Fill your cup so that you can pour when you go back to work. Prioritize you. You deserve this break. Don't just break, break.