Spring break is right around the corner, and we are all ready for that break! While this break is well-earned, the week or two leading up to break can seem like it lasts an eternity. That’s why I have three helpful tips to simplify your teacher life before Spring break! These tips will make it easy for you to sit back, relax, and make the most of the week leading up to break.
What Can You Do to Simplify Your Teacher Life Before Spring Break
It is that overwhelming time of year, but you don’t have to let it affect the effectiveness of your classroom! Here are three things you can do to simplify your teacher life before Spring break.
- Create Lesson Plans
- Manage Your To-Do List
- Take Time for You
Creating Lesson Plans for the Week Before Spring Break
The week before Spring break can be a hard time for educators. Students are done. We are done, and with that, a certain level of “I got this; I”ll just review,” can sink in. While it’s perfectly acceptable to use the week before Spring break to review materials or to teach new ideas, you still want to have a specific game plan.
When you have a lesson plan and everything in place, you are making sure everything is organized and prepared enough to teach effectively. Using our centers and having them organized using our center organization tips, this will be super easy! By having this done for the whole week, you will simplify your teaching life by not having to rush to create plans. You also won’t need to scramble to find materials at the last minute. When you have to rush, usually there’s an overall sense of stress and sometimes the quality of your instruction can take a hit!
If you have everything planned, you can focus on delivering quality lessons to your students without having to think of projects on the fly. Plus, you will be sure what your students have covered right before leaving so you know where to pick up after break with ease.
Manage Your To Do List and Simplify Your Teacher Life Before Spring Break
If you are anything like me, your to-do list is an endless list of things. No matter how many things you do, the list never seems to end. This can be incredibly overwhelming and can cause stress. However, by prioritizing the most important tasks and letting go of anything that can wait until after break, you can reduce your stress and maintain your sanity.
One way to maintain your to-do list and simplify your teacher life before Spring break is to prioritize your list. When you prioritize, you want to put your most important tasks at the top of your list. These items should be based on deadlines, urgency, or level of impact it will have on you or your classroom. This can help you focus on the most important tasks first which will help ensure they are all completed on time and to a high standard.
Another way to maintain your to-do list is to let go of things you don’t need to do or non-essential tasks. Non-essential tasks are those things on your list that can wait until after break. These might include administrative tasks, non-essential grading, or non-urgent emails. By putting these tasks on a different list, you can free up more time and energy. By managing your to-do list effectively, you will reduce the stress that can come with the week before Spring break. In addition, this can help you stay productive and enjoy your break instead of doing tasks that you should have done before.
Take Time for You!
The hardest thing you can do to simplify your teacher life before Spring break is to take time for yourself. While this may seem counterproductive or “selfish,” if you aren’t taking care of yourself, you’re not giving your best-self to your job either. Therefore, you need to take time for yourself even during the busy week before break.
One way to take time for yourself is to schedule in some personal time to just relax and recharge. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so you have to fill your cup back up by doing something with loved ones, engaging in hobbies or activities that you like, or simply taking time to relax and unwind.
When you take time to unwind, you are taking care of your mental and emotional health which is vital for you to be productive at work. Plus, taking care of you can help prevent burnout. Whatever you need to do to feel relaxed and refreshed, make sure to make time for it! This can make all the difference when you are simplifying your teacher life.
These three simple strategies can help you simplify your teacher life in the week leading up to Spring break. By using these tips, you can reduce stress and feel more in control of your workload. Doing this will give you the energy you need to stay motivated and finish the school year strong.
