Teachers: Dominate Summer Break With These 2 Quick Tips
Whether the new school year is a success or a failure depends hugely on what you do during the first few days of school. And what you do during the first few days of school depends on how you spend your summer vacation.
You can read hundreds of time-management hacks, but they won’t do you any good if they don’t actually make your life better. Time is the one indispensable and irreplaceable resource of accomplishment. It cannot be recovered once it’s lost. Most time-management experts list desire, decisiveness, determination and discipline as the top assets for success. But these plans lack two things: to procrastinate on purpose and to discover the root of enthusiasm. These two elements are… game-changers.
Procrastinate on Purpose
You’ve worked hard all year long and you’ve more than likely lost sight of the fact that you matter more than a dozen white boards. It’s summer vacation and if the first thing you think of is next year’s lesson plans, crayons, glue sticks and desk arrangements, you’re not alone.
Teaching is important, but you need to find the balance between your personal life and professional life. And it starts with summer vacation. Not a long one, but at least a week.
- Pamper yourself every chance you get
- Read the pile of books by the hammock
- Sleep in
- BBQ with the neighbors
- Tackle a bucket list item
- Connect with old friends and make new ones
“Your work should support your life; your life shouldn’t support your work.” Tear this cliché apart and accept it. You officially have permission.
The Root of Enthusiasm
Your week (or two) is up and now it’s time to plan for the first day of school. Take the pressure off yourself and grab the calendar.
Plan out the remaining weeks of the summer with small tasks. Divvy up the mission into smaller endeavors and you’ll be able to meet the unlimited amount of obligations in your very limited amount of time.
- Hit garage sales on the weekends and pick up cheap games and books. They’ll come in handy on rainy days.
- Think about how you want to arrange your room. Decide on a few themes and look for pictures, books and other items to bring it to life.
- Consider the fall holidays and start preparing resources or ideas. Once school begins, your time will be limited in preparing for these seasonal events.
- Start lesson planning and have the first two weeks of school ready to go.
- Make things like charts, games, posters and all the other things you never seem to have time to do during the year.
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I had more time,” then it’s time to shift the way you behave. Prioritize and spread the tasks out in order to better maximize your time. You’ll accomplish more, plus you’ll relax a little.
Need more suggestions, or want to compare notes with other teachers? Join GetAssist today and whether it’s your first, First Day of School, or your twenty-fifth, you’ll be able to share with other teachers in your community and learn how to rock the first day of school.
