When was the last time you took an actual vacation? It may seem obvious that taking a vacation can help reverse burnout, but only a small percentage of teachers actually disengage and disconnect from their daily sources of stress for a restful vacation. Most of us allow excuses and anxieties to prevent us from unplugging and taking a meaningful break.
What are the two biggest reasons teachers give for not taking a vacation?
- Time
- Finances
On the surface, these seem like valid mitigating circumstances – but there are ways around both roadblocks if you are committed to find time to spend taking care of yourself.
1. Time-
Many teachers believe they have no time during the school year to take a vacation: that their school/class will implode, their lives are fundamentally too hectic, or any number of other worries. No matter the reason, time needn’t be a roadblock to taking a vacation. If you are blessed to work in a district that accumulates paid vacation, you are much more likely to be able to use that time to take a break from work without disrupting your finances. If you are not in a structured vacation schedule, you’ll need to implement some more intentional planning. If you can’t take 7 or more days off in a row, consider these alternatives:
Extended Weekends- There are many three-day weekends throughout the work year. Consider extending your weekend to a fourth or fifth day by adding a vacation day on either end of a naturally occurring three-day weekend.
Mini-vacations- Like extended weekends, mini-vacations are simply shorter and take place within the time you already have off work. Consider staying closer to home and enjoying local activities so travel days aren’t an issue.
Stay-cations- Stay home – or stay in your hometown – but completely unplug from your work. Do the things you would take time to do on vacation without the need to spend time or money traveling.
Consider these additional pro-tips to make finding time to vacation possible:
Delegate- Free up time by delegating some tasks to others who are willing to help.
Get a vacay buddy- find a great sub to share the workload with when you need to take time off. If you trust your substitute, you’ll be much more likely to disengage completely.
Create an “emergency” sub plan- This is a policy and procedure file that outlines your projects, lessons, and workflow, making it possible for any sub to step in and do your job in your absence from work.
Put in for subs and vacations early- Plan out your vacations well in advance. This alerts your admin that you will be gone and helps keep you focused on prepping as time draws near so that you’re ready with lessons with time to spare.
2. Finances-
Blaming your budget for not being able to take a vacation is like blaming your doctor for feeling sick. Your budget is a tool that is there to be used by you in any way necessary – it is only inefficient choices that diminish its effects. Whether you engage in a shorter vacation, stay-cation, or make other creative adjustments due to costs, you can find multiple ways to make your vacation happen. Consider these tips:
Make saving a game- Challenge your family to save together for a vacation fund. Save change, hold a yard sale, reduce unnecessary spending, sacrifice a few conveniences together, or take small odd-jobs. Encourage the entire family to think of ways to add to the fund. Set a goal and create a vision board to keep everyone focused and motivated on your upcoming family trip.
Envelope system- Book your vacation ahead of time and make a deposit. Calculate the funds needed to pay the full balance, and divide that by your number of paydays until the trip. Each paycheck, slip that money into an envelope in a safe place and be ready to pay off your vacation costs easily when the time comes.
Get creative- There are many websites designed to offer teacher discounts on vacation costs. No matter your taste and budget, you can save money on a vacation with minimal research effort. Determine your budget ahead of time and get the most bang for your buck by getting creative and doing research.
No matter what you do for your vacation, make it count. Unplug from your stressors and recharge your batteries. Do the things that refresh and rejuvenate you so you can melt away that burnt-out feeling and return to your normal teaching life with a renewed sense of purpose and interest.
