The students are dragging, you’re dragging, and suddenly, those last few months before summer feel like an eternity. While you’re busy motivating your students to get back on track, remember to check in on yourself, too.

If you’re feeling stuck in the post-break slump, here are some key ways to push through and make these last few months count.

Create Small, Attainable Goals

There’s nothing more satisfying than setting a goal and reaching it. Whether it’s spring cleaning your classroom, tackling standardized testing, or simply staying on top of your grading, make sure you set goals that you can realistically achieve.

The more goals you accomplish, the more motivated you’ll feel to keep going. Start small, and before you know it, the school year will be over.

Prioritize Your Health

Maybe you overindulged a bit over spring break—and that’s okay! But now that you’re back, it’s time to focus on your well-being. Eating the right foods, staying active, and getting enough movement throughout the day will help you stay focused at work and energized enough to handle the rest of the school year.

Even though teaching is exhausting, this time of year can leave you running on fumes. That’s why taking care of yourself is non-negotiable. Remember to fuel your body, move your body, and get enough sleep.

Don’t Procrastinate

The first few weeks after spring break can leave you feeling sluggish, making it tempting to put things off. But procrastination only makes the workload pile up. Instead of delaying important tasks, tackle them head-on.

Excuses won’t get you anywhere, but checking things off your to-do list will keep you moving forward. Consider trying the “just start” method. This is where you commit to working on a task for just five minutes.

More often than not, once you start, you’ll find the motivation to keep going. Plus, the sooner you check things off your list, the more time you’ll have to relax later.

Stick to Your Routine

Spring break can throw off even the most structured routines. Maybe you stayed up later, slept in, or spent a little too much time binge-watching your favorite shows.

Now that you’re back in the classroom, it’s important to re-establish your routine. If you’re used to grading papers every Friday after school, keep doing it. Don’t switch things up just because summer is getting closer.

Sticking to your usual routine will keep you grounded and make the remaining months feel more manageable. It will also help you stay focused and push through to the end of the year.

Find Inspiration

Teaching isn’t just about getting through the year, it’s about finding moments of joy along the way. Think about what inspires you and brings you happiness in the classroom.

Walking outside during lunch with a coworker can be nice. You can get some fresh air and enjoy small things like birds singing, the wind, or the sunlight.

Try that yoga class you’ve been curious about or sign up for an online course that excites you.

Finding inspiration in and outside of school will help keep you motivated and happy through the rest of the year.

Practice Mindfulness and Positivity

Staying motivated isn’t just about what you do, it’s also about how you think. Your mindset can make or break these final months of the school year.

When you approach your work—and your students—with optimism, everything feels a little more manageable. A simple shift in perspective can be the difference between feeling completely drained and finding the motivation to finish strong.

Take time to live in the moment and quiet those negative thoughts. Even just a few minutes each day to breathe, reset, and refocus can make a huge difference in your energy and overall well-being.

Small mindfulness exercises can improve your memory, help you focus better, and provide clear thinking for any challenges you face.

Get Organized

If you weren’t organized before, now’s the time to fix that. Teaching in a cluttered space isn’t just frustrating, it’s stressful. And stress is not motivating. Remember, organization doesn’t have to be an all-day project—start small.

Clean off your desk, declutter one drawer, or create a system to keep track of upcoming deadlines. A little bit of order can go a long way in making your days feel more manageable.

When everything has a place, you’ll feel more in control and ready to tackle your tasks. A well-organized classroom (and workspace) makes a world of difference.

Reward Yourself

What’s more motivating than a reward? Looking ahead to a summer trip, a new wardrobe addition, or a fun home project can motivate you to keep moving forward.

Set a goal, work toward it, and reward yourself when you reach it. Knowing that something enjoyable is on the horizon can help keep you pushing forward.

Saying goodbye to the sun, fun, and relaxation of spring break isn’t easy. But remember—summer is right around the corner. Use these strategies to stay motivated, and before you know it, you’ll be packing up your classroom and heading into a well-earned break.

Until then, take care of yourself, find joy in the small moments, and keep pushing forward—you’ve got this.

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The post How Teachers Can Stay Motivated After Spring Break appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

Take a Break

One of the number one rules of spring break is to take a break from work! Do not spend your break catching up on your work. As the years go on and you gain more experience in a career of teaching, you realize it is not about the hours you put in, but the way you use your time. Creating balance is extremely important. It may be impossible to do absolutely no work over the break, but limit it to a certain day and stick to it. It is important for you to decompress and separate from work over the break, and spending too much time will not give your brain the break that it needs.

Sleep In

Sleep in! I am not saying that you need to roll out of bed at noon every day, but do not set your alarm for the normal 5:00 a.m. every morning. Set it for a later time or not at all. We all know as the days and weeks go on, it can get harder and harder to wake up in the morning, as our days are exhausting. Recharge your batteries over the break and snag some extra sleep when you can!

Connect with Non-Teachers

Spend time with your non-teacher friends. If you are anything like me, you spend the majority of your school year with your teacher friends, and your other friends fall by the wayside! Use this time to reconnect with your friends you don’t always have the time or energy to have an adventure with. Take a day trip, go to lunch, or have a game night. Whatever it is, take advantage of your time and catch up with your other buddies.

Emails can Wait

Do not answer e-mails! They will be waiting for you when you get back to work. With technology today, if there are any types of emergencies, an alternate way to get in touch with you will be found. One of the best choices I have recently made was removing my school email from my personal phone. I do not check emails after a certain time, and I just check and respond when I get to work in the morning. You are not a machine, and this is part of creating a balance and boundaries for yourself. 

Take a Trip

Take a trip! If you are anything like me, it is hard to separate yourself from work. Plan a little getaway if you can and go explore. Life is all about the experiences you have and the memories you make. Whether it be an island getaway, exploring a foreign country, or simply taking a drive and hiking, spend some time with family or friends in a new place if you can.

Spring Cleaning

Something I love to do on breaks is clean out my closets and organize. I love going through and organizing my closets and drawers and donating any clothes, shoes, etc. that I really do not utilize anymore. It feels nice cleaning with the windows open and listening to all my favorite music. There is not always time to clean and organize the way you want to when school is in session, so taking full advantage of breaks is a great idea!

On your spring break you should simply do what makes you happy, especially those things you do not have time to do when you are working every day. Take your favorite class at the gym at 9 a.m. instead of before or after work. Go to lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. Take your kids to an amusement park. Take your dog for an extra-long hike or walk. Make that dinner you found on Pinterest and have been wanting to try. Whatever it is that makes you happy, do that!

Breaks are important because they help revitalize you. Sometimes when you keep going and going, you tend to not realize how incredibly drained you are. Although schoolwork and your students are obviously important, you need to take care of yourself. Being the best version of you includes being happy not just at work, but in all facets of your life. When you feel rested and recharged, it spills over into your teaching in the classroom.

As Louisa May Alcott stated, “Have regular hours for work and play; useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well.” A well-balanced, well-rounded teacher produces students of the same nature!

The post Tips to Make the Most Out of Your Spring Break appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.