6 Ideas for a Refreshing Summer

By Monica Leigh Nelson

Sometimes it can be hard for a teacher to relax. 

We’re so used to micromanaging each second in our day. We’re always making plans and back-up plans and coercing everyone to follow our plans. Down time in a classroom of 24 seven year olds can be downright scary!

And then, after 180+ days, down time is all we have.

The whole summer lies before us.

There’s this pressure to make each day count, to fully utilize the summer. But we’re exhausted, wiped out, completely drained. Before we know it, we’ve already lost a week of vacation on Netflix and youtube and we really don’t feel any more refreshed.

So how do we use our summers to rest, recover, and recharge for the next round of 180 days?

Here are some suggestions that have worked for me:

  • Create a routine. Make your coffee. Read a chapter. Go for a walk. Don’t worry about the time table, but create a gentle routine that keeps you getting up and about without taking a lot of mental energy.
  • Make a list. What are the top ten things you hope to do this summer? Take a trip? Fix up things around the house? Grab a calendar and schedule in the big things, leaving a lot of empty days for the little things.
  • Build in physical exercise and healthy eating. Yes, you can eat the ice cream – but maybe not with every meal. And try to squeeze in 30 minutes of physical exercise at least 5 days a week. Kayaking, hiking, playing frisbee with the dog, climbing the stairs to the waterslide – it all counts.
  • Set boundaries around work. Decide what you’re willing to do over the summer and what you’re not. Some teachers like to spend a couple of hours a week planning for the next year. Other teachers decide they won’t work for free and put away their laptops for the summer. I often use my rainy days and tv time for creating worksheets and slideshows and prepping for my new set of littles.
  • Make a plan for the day. Keep it simple. Each night, I write down the top three things I want to do the next day. This helps keep me focused and prevents lost hours on social media.
  • Remember: it’s ok. It’s ok to be a hermit for a while, hiding in a blanket burrito with your phone. It’s ok to micromanage your summer days, and it’s ok to go into the summer with zero plans. It’s ok to refuse to think about school again until August. It’s also ok to start setting up your classroom in July. Don’t compare yourself to the teachers you see on TikTok. Be the teacher you want to be.

There’s no right or wrong way to relax. Experiment and find out what works for you. I’d love to hear your ideas for a refreshing summer. Click the connect button and reach out!