Hopefully you have enjoyed a well earned break these past holidays. Perhaps you spent more time with family or took an escape route out of normal to put your feet up and enjoy the amazing weather. Your Union certainly hopes that you took time for yourself to relax and recuperate after what is often the most bruising of all school terms.
Remember that as we give it our all towards the summer break there is still a need for rest and recuperation. We need to take time to recharge the batteries, whether it’s actually sitting down in the staff room for a cup of tea that isn’t cold from lack of attention. Maybe it’s enjoying a walk in the longer stretches of daylight. Perhaps it’s simply reading a newspaper or a chapter of a book before going to sleep.
Whatever your particular methods, don’t forget to deploy them this term. Your students do need you but they also need you to be a good role model of work/life balance, of self regulation and of professional and personal responsibility. We can’t and shouldn’t teach when we are sick. The best way to prevent sickness is to take care of ourselves before we succumb.
Some simple strategies include:
- turn off screen notifications for your smartphone (so it doesn’t keep buzzing and flashing at you)
- delete your school/work email from your smartphone and don’t check it at night from home devices
- plan relaxation time into your weekly schedule (this might be of use especially to HSC teachers this term)
- eat well
- drink lots of water, and
- go for a walk (even if it’s to the café around the corner from work).