May 2023 – Thrive Beyond Teaching

There's no right or wong way for a teacher to do summer break, but there are some practices that have helped me learn to enjoy mine to the fullest over the years. Let's dive right in! 1. Ignore any advice (even mine) and do whatever works for you. There is no wrong way for a teacher to be on summer vacation! Want to eat potato chips out of your bra-cket (bra pocket) all day? Go for it! Want (or need) to work through the summer to earn extra cash? Do you! The only one who knows the best way for you to spend your summer is you. I will add that it helps to have a tentative plan for things you’d really like to prioritize. Otherwise, the summer can easily slip away from you, and before you know it, you’ll be starting another school year. 2. Make sure you have enough money. It sucks to be broke over the summer. Especially when that regular paycheck is not rolling in as usual. If you do not get paid over the summer, make sure you plan ahead and sack away the money you’ll need for those summer months. Even if you do get paid over summer break, there’s sometimes still a break in those paychecks. You’ll want to check out your district's pay schedule at the beginning of the school year and plan accordingly, so you can enjoy your summer to the fullest without money worries. 3. Work on your streams of income. If you have a business or a side hustle, summer is the best time to take full advantage and grow your income streams. You can work as much or as little as you want, and you can do so on your own schedule too. PJs included! Personally, I can’t wait for summer because I plan on stockpiling blog posts, newsletters, TPT products, and Pinterest pins. Scheduling as many of those ahead of time as I can will be a great resource and a huge stress relief once the back-to-school whirlwind starts. Don’t have any other streams of income? I can’t think of a better time to research and dabble. Or give something a try that you’ve had in mind. The summer will come and go anyway. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain! 4. Attend to all the things. People who work regular jobs do not realize how little downtime teachers get during the work day. It’s hard to fit in a bathroom break (Yes, even number one!), furthermore a phone call. And you can forget about an appointment. Summer is the time when I make all my phone calls, get all my appointments done, clean out my closet, and cross out a crap ton of tasks on my to-do list! These chores do not feel as daunting as they do during the school year since I have so much free time over the summer anyway. Plus, I feel so much better once they're done and I can start the school year on an organized note. Just make sure you don’t spend all your time getting things done. That brings its own type of joy, but you know what they say about all work and no play! 5. Prioritize rest and relaxation. I am usually one of those fortunate people who has no trouble falling and staying asleep. I tend to pity people who have sleep troubles. But this school year, I’ve been plagued with insomnia worse than I’ve ever experienced in my life. Funny enough, it usually only happens on school nights. Coincidence? I think probably not… So I tend to take full advantage of not having to wake up to a blaring alarm at the butt crack of dawn. Having said that, I tend to become more and more nocturnal when left to my own devices. However, I’ve realized over the years that staying up until all hours leaves me sleeping later than I’d like, feeling like I’ve wasted my days, and not actually enjoying my summer to the fullest. So now I let myself stay up until about midnight and wake up naturally between about 7 and 9. This sleep schedule works out really well for me. I feel rested and I still get to enjoy full summer days. Plus, naps are a pretty sweet and common occurrence! 6. Have some fun in the sun... if that’s your jam. Getting outside in the sun has a ton of health benefits! According to GoodRx, time in the sun can strenghten your immune system, help you sleep better, and boost your mood! These are just a few of the perks to getting outside in the summer. You don't have to stay outside all day either. You can reap the benefits of that vitamin D in as little as 10 minutes a day. I for one do not need to be convinced! The sun instantly gives my mood a makeover and makes me want to get moving. I love walking, going to the beach or pool, or any outdoor activity really. During the school year, it’s hard to find the time and energy for these activities on the rare occasion I’m home and free during daylight hours. Summer is the perfect time to use my free time to take advantage of the weather. It’s even better when I can count in other teacher friends who have time off too! 7. Make time for friends and family. It’s hard to prioritize anything besides work during the school year. Over the breaks, especially the long summer one, I love to prioritize relationships. I try to spend time with people I’d love to see and hang out with more. Some I don’t get to see at all except over the summer. This is true even for local friends and family. We all know how life can get away from us. I have to say no to so many opportunities for fun and connection during the school year. But over the summer, my answer to anyone I love is usually a YES! Cleaning out the closets or taking a nap can wait. Summer is a great time to strengthen those super important social bonds that we can easily neglect during the school year. 8. Travel! If traveling is your jam, there's no time like the summer! Personally, I do not like to travel over the other breaks from school. It feels too rushed and there are too many other people with the same idea. Summer is great for longer trips so I can rest and recuperate without having to dive right back into work. I also love taking a road trip or staycation. In fact, those are more my speed these days. Whether your travels are long or short, it's a great time to have your trip bookended with rest and recuperation time. You might notice that I never mentioned anything about prepping for back-to-school in the fall. Like everything else, that is totally a personal choice. I am working on doing less and less school work during my personal time, and that includes summer. But I want your summer to include anything that will make you feel more relaxed even in the school months to come. If that means doing some prep work, do whatever is right for you. If like me, you're trying to minimize working outside of work hours, more power to you as well! However you choose to spend your summer, may it bring you the rejuvenation and joy you so deserve!