Why do teachers find it so hard to switch off in the summer holidays?
If you've found yourself wondering, "Why can't I switch off?" after just a couple of days of the summer holidays, you're not doing the holidays wrong.
Instead of feeling rested, you might be asleep on the sofa, avoiding your phone or wondering why you don't feel excited yet.
Every year, I speak to teachers who expect to finish on Friday and feel like themselves again by Monday. Instead, they're tired, snappy, cancelling plans or wondering why they don't have the energy to do the things they've been looking forward to.
If your thoughts are already drifting towards September, you might find my blog, Work-life balance for teachers: Setting boundaries without the guilt, helpful. It explores why switching off isn't just about having time off—it's about giving yourself permission to stop.
Then the guilt creeps in.
"I should be making the most of this."
For months, your days have been dictated by bells, emails, meetings, behaviour, deadlines and everyone else's priorities. It makes sense that switching off during the summer holidays doesn't happen the moment term ends.
Can I leave you with one thought?
Maybe you don't need to get better at switching off.
Maybe you just need to stop expecting yourself to do it overnight.
It's easy to convince ourselves that everything has to be finished before we can switch off. Yet so many of the things we worry about before a break are rarely as important as they seem in the moment.
How often are you carrying expectations that nobody else has asked of you?
So before you start thinking about September, buying a new planner or filling your holidays with jobs you think you should do, pause for a moment.
Ask yourself one question.
What do I need today?
Not next week.
Not next term.
Today.
Maybe the answer is sleep.
Maybe it's catching up with friends.
Maybe it's giving yourself permission to do absolutely nothing for an afternoon.
One thing to try today
Before your thoughts turn to September, write down three things you're proud of from this school year.
Not the lessons that didn't go to plan.
Not the jobs left on your to-do list.
Three moments that remind you why what you do matters.
Teachers are often their own toughest critics. Even after a long school year, it's easy to focus on what you didn't get done instead of everything you did.
So before you start thinking about everything that needs doing in September, take a moment to recognise everything you've already achieved.
If, once school has gone quiet, you realise you're still feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or unsure about what's next, don't ignore it.
Sometimes the holidays don't solve the problem. They simply give you enough quiet to notice it.
If that resonates with you, you might also like my blog, Work-life balance for teachers: Setting boundaries without the guilt, and Emotional boundaries for secondary school teachers: How to care without burning out.
If reading this has made you realise you're carrying more than you'd like to be, I'd love to help. You can book a free Getting to Know You call, where we'll talk about what's been on your mind and explore whether working together feels like the right next step.
Sometimes one conversation is enough to help you see things differently.