Five top tips for a relaxing school summer holiday
Teaching in an international school can be incredibly stressful. There’s the daily ebb and flow of school life, coursework to mark and lessons to plan. And that’s before you even consider the challenges schools have faced over the past year.
Put simply, it’s been a difficult time for everyone involved in education! With constant changes, varying levels of restrictions and regional lockdowns, you’ve more than earned a break. Whether you are a teacher, school leader or perhaps work in the procurement team, the summer months offer an opportunity to switch off and recharge those batteries.
To help you, we’ve put together some top tips to get you started.
1. Sleep
Over the school year you face many challenges. One of the greatest is being pulled in lots of different directions which puts a great stress on your time and ultimately can lead to you getting less sleep than is required.
According to this article, “sleep is fundamental to good health, both physically and mentally.” It’s recommended that adults need an average of 8 hours sleep a night with teachers reportedly getting around 6 hours on average.
One of your first priorities therefore over the summer months should be to catch up on all that sleep you’ve not had during the school year.
2. Try new things
How many times have you found yourself wishing you could take up that new hobby but can’t because you simply don’t have the time? Well now is the time!
It’s very easy to get drawn into the daily, weekly and monthly cycles of your school and find yourself no longer pushing the same boundaries you used to. Research has shown that new experiences trigger the release of hormones, motivating us to do more which in turn leads to the development of new pathways in the brain. This can lead you to feeling more fulfilled, more creative and even more rested.
3. Spend time away from the world of education
Getting away from the world of teaching and schools can be a positive thing. By allowing yourself to completely switch off from school life, you create space to let your mind wander aimlessly.
A common technique within mindfulness, freeing your mind can lead to reduced stress levels, increased creativity and increased focus. Listening to podcasts such as Where Is My Mind? and Radio Headspace can give you the time and space to free your mind.
4. Travel (if you can)
Similar to trying new things, travelling can provide huge benefits. Whilst things might look a little different this summer, getting away to a new place, culture or country can be invaluable in helping you relax.
What’s more, it could even provide learning experiences and knowledge for you to bring back to your class in the new year.
5. Do nothing!
Let’s be honest. You’ve probably spent the past year consumed by writing lesson plans, researching topics, presenting to your teams and honing your skills. The summer break gives you an opportunity to leave all this behind.
There’s no shame in walking out your classroom and enjoying your holiday. You absolutely shouldn’t feel burdened by teacher guilt. You’ve earned your time away so make sure you enjoy it. This article from TES discusses teacher guilt and why you should enjoy the long summer school holidays.
So, as the academic year comes to an end, how are you going to be spending your summer? We’d love to hear about your plans for switching off this summer. Simply visit our LinkedIn page and let us know what you will be up to.