Do you ever feel like you need a vacation from your vacation?
It’s a common lament — and a reality educators may experience as they return from winter break. That’s because the holiday season can bring both excitement and exhaustion. Between checking off first-semester action items (like finalizing grades and organizing end-of-year activities) and managing personal obligations (like planning celebrations or travels), it’s easy to feel drained from wrapping up the school year. The holiday season can also magnify and compound personal struggles, which can lead to a heightened risk of depression or anxiety. Due to the “busyness” of the holidays, it can be difficult for educators to prioritize their own mental health. Yet, it can be tough to “pour” into others when one’s own mental health is compromised.
While the time off during the holidays can be a source of much-needed rest and rejuvenation, the start of a new year can also bring its own set of pressures, from setting new goals to tackling unfinished work. Here are some tips to help start the year right with mental health as a priority.
1. Don’t go it alone.
We often remind educators that they can’t help others as effectively when they need help themselves. For that reason, we remind them it’s ok to use a personal day to manage mental health or say “no” to things that are causing fatigue. Of course, we can’t refuse to do critical parts of our job, but we can turn down social events that will cause more stress than satisfaction or encourage our families to share the weight at home.
And don’t forget to lean on your team for support! Chances are high that they could use it, too. It’s better to work together than for each team member to carry the burden alone.
2. Put plans into place that “future you” will appreciate.
If you’re still reeling from pre-vacation chaos, consider what might have alleviated some of the stress and how to prevent the end of the school year from reaching the same state.
For example, does the pace of the curriculum become too much when faced with other end-of-year events and schedule changes? Consider working with the district’s curriculum coordinator to identify ways to divide academic priorities differently to avoid a pileup at the end of the semester. It may require assuming a slightly heavier load during certain times of the year, but it could be worth it.
On that same note, consider how else you can lighten the end-of-year task list, such as beginning grading, year-end wrap-ups and other activities earlier so you don’t feel as overwhelmed as the end of school looms.
Remember to provide similar empathy to students.
For some students, the holiday season might have brought family-related stress, such as difficult home situations or financial pressures. While school may be their safe haven, it might take them time to get back into the groove.
As everyone readjusts to the schedule and pace, it’s a good time to introduce mental health techniques that can benefit you all, such as:
- Finding moments to practice mindfulness or taking short breaks in class, which can reduce stress for everyone and foster a positive, supportive classroom environment.
- Practicing deep breathing or mindfulness techniques to help you all stay grounded during moments of stress. Even a few minutes a day can make a big difference in managing anxiety.
- Taking opportunities to incorporate SEL skills throughout the day as a normal part of your routine, which can encourage long-term emotional resilience.
Starting the new year on the right foot
January can be a fresh opportunity to set you and the school community up for success for the rest of the school year and beyond. By acknowledging residual stress and proactively addressing it, educators can help themselves and their students mitigate pressure and better manage their mental health.
Would you like more tools to help with mental health for all members of the school community? Visit Pearson’s Mental Health Resource Center. We also offer SEL training workshops for schools looking to implement an SEL framework within their campus or district.