3 Winter Break Must-Do’s for Burnout Relief
Winter break is a wonderful, healing time for educators, ESPECIALLY if you’ve been experiencing burnout this school year.
It’s an opportunity to get distance from the stressors in the classroom, to release any physical stress your body may be holding on to, and to engage with important parts of your life outside of work.
Below you’ll find 3 of the most beneficial things you can do this break to reset and heal from symptoms of burnout. They may seem simple, but when you fully engage with them - let me tell ya - they are powerful.
Give it a read and then check out our upcoming free event below (I’m pretty excited about it)!
3 Winter Break Tips for Burnout Relief
I.
Allow yourself to fully surrender to REST. I know, I know. The holidays are busy. But here’s the reality: Burnout often starts because we are doing TOO MUCH - which means that, to heal, we have to allow ourselves to DO LESS. If you are feeling fatigued, overwhelmed or at the end of your rope, healing is going to require surrendering to the full power of rest. And I say surrender because it’s so important to allow for guilt-free rest. Educators often express feeling guilty when taking time for themselves. If you relate to that, here’s a gentle reminder that you, like all humans with organic, living bodies, are innately worthy of rest. So spend a day (or days) cuddled up inside, sleep in if you can, relax with a good book all afternoon, and start to reap the benefits! Allow for this as much as you can. REFLECT: What helps me feel deeply restful?
II.
PLAY with activities that light you up. What is an activity that makes you feel authentically you - lit up from the inside? What activities make you lose track of time because you’re so engaged or because you’re having so much fun? I love hearing people’s answers because they are so wildly unique from person to person. For me, it’s singing and crossword puzzles. For others, it’s reading or painting or distance running or dancing or crocheting… When we are chronically stressed, we can lose that spark of joy we have for life. Reignite the joyful spark this break with activities that connect you to your authentic self. REFLECT: What activities light me up and bring a sense of play to my life?
III.
CONNECT with the people you love most. Human connection is one of the most powerful, proven ways to relieve stress. Burnout is commonly accompanied by a sense of being alone in our struggle. Connection is the antidote. Remind yourself of those people in your life who love and support you no matter what. And then spend time with them - and while you’re together, be as present as you can and really savor that time together. And as you do that, start to feel any residual stress from the semester melt away bit by bit. REFLECT: Who is a positive force in my life that I would like to connect with this break?
2 Quotes from Others
I.
“Take a break and give your soul what it needs.” - Audrey Kitching
II.
“To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy.” - Hippocrates
1 Question For You
After answering the 3 questions above, what is one thing you are for sure doing this break to relieve stress and reset from the semester?
Make sure to share this week’s 3-2-1 with a teacher you care about :)
Until next week,
Emily Hemmingson
Health Coach for Teachers
Founder of The Teacher Wellness Center
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