If you’ve had a hectic teaching year, you deserve a well-earned rest. Here are some of our favourite ways to unwind and get out of ‘school mode’.
1. Zen out
Try out some yoga or meditation classes, or go the whole hog and take a retreat where you’re not allowed to speak for a week. At least you won’t be talking about school!
2. Go somewhere you’ve never been before
Take a road trip or hop on a plane to a city or country you’ve never been to before. The summer is a fantastic time to explore Europe, and it’s never been easier.
3. Focus on your health
Take some time to get into a healthy routine, with plenty of wholesome food and fresh air. No eating at your desk allowed!
4. Have a technology detox
Resist the temptation to check your emails and Facebook every day. Put the smartphone away – why not downgrade to a basic phone for a while? You’ll be more in touch with the world around you if you’re not checking Twitter and Instagram at every idle moment.
5. Get in touch with friends and family
If you’ve been too busy to Skype your family or email your friends, get on it now! Better yet, pay them a visit.
6. Avoid other teachers
If you spend time with your colleagues outside of work, you’ll invariably end up griping about school. Avoid them! Catch up with other friends and remember there’s life outside of school.
7. Learn something new
The holidays are a great time to take a crash course in something you’ve never tried before. Why not learn scuba diving, salsa dancing or rock climbing? Taking up a new art or craft is also a great way to expand your extra-curricular interests.
8. Break your routine
If you can’t get out of town, at least shake up your routine. Too often, even when we live in an exciting place, we end up doing the same familiar things over and over. Make time in your routine for something you wish you did more, for example meditation, exercise, reading or writing. If you instil a good habit in the holidays, you might even be able to stick with it when you go back to school.
9. Get a massage
How could we forget to mention a good long massage as a way to relax?
10. Make a weird high pitched squeaky noise whenever anyone mentions anything to do with school
People might find it strange at first, but they’ll soon learn.
What are you doing to switch off for the holidays? Whatever you’re up to, Teacher Horizons hope you have a great time so you’ll come back as fresh as a daisy.
Written by Sammy Tame
who lives and teaches in Cambodia. Sammy has her own blog.