Resting and Restoring: How to actually recharge during the break

Week 3 of the December Series: Your recovery isn’t optional—it’s professional development

You made it. Winter break has arrived. Now comes the hard part: actually resting.

If you’re like most teachers, you’re already planning to use this break to catch up on grading, redesign units, organize your classroom, and maybe—if there’s time—rest a little.

Stop. Put down the red pen. Close the laptop.

This break isn’t for catching up. It’s for recovering. And recovery isn’t lazy or selfish—it’s the most important professional development you’ll do all year.

Why teachers are terrible at resting

We’ve internalized the message that dedication means exhaustion. That good teachers work through breaks. We feel guilty when we’re not productive.

Here’s the truth: You cannot give what you don’t have. You cannot model healthy habits when you’re burning out. You cannot inspire learning when you’re too exhausted to feel curious yourself.

Rest isn’t the opposite of caring about your students—it’s how you ensure you can keep caring about them for years to come.

The myth of “productive rest”

Reading professional development books or organizing while “relaxing” isn’t rest. It’s work wearing pajamas.

Real rest means doing things with no connection to teaching. Things that serve no purpose except restoration. Things that look “unproductive” to anyone watching.

That’s not just okay—it’s essential.

The recovery spectrum

You need different types of recovery:

Physical Recovery: Your body needs actual rest—sleep, gentle movement, nourishing food, and no alarm clocks.

Mental Recovery: Your brain needs a break from constant problem-solving and decision-making.

Emotional Recovery: Process your own feelings and replenish emotional reserves after managing dozens of young humans’ emotions.

Social Recovery: Introverts need quiet time to recharge. Extroverts need quality time with people who energize them. Both are valid.

The first 48 hours

Day 1: Full stop
Sleep as long as your body wants. Eat when hungry. Watch terrible TV. Read something frivolous. Do absolutely nothing productive. This feels wrong. Do it anyway.

Day 2: Gentle re-entry
Start moving a little. Take a walk. Cook something enjoyable. Connect with someone you love. But keep it gentle. No obligations.

These first 48 hours let your nervous system realize the threat is over. You’re safe.

Active rest vs. passive rest

Passive rest:

• Sleeping without alarms
• Reading for pleasure
• Watching movies
• Sitting in nature
• Daydreaming

Active rest:

• Gentle exercise (walking, yoga)
• Creative hobbies (not for school)
• Cooking for enjoyment
• Playing games
• Dancing in your kitchen

The key: active rest should energize, not deplete you.

Permission slips

You have permission to:

• Not grade anything
• Not think about difficult students
• Not respond to school emails
• Sleep until noon
• Wear pajamas for three days
• Binge-watch entire series
• Do absolutely nothing useful
• Say no to draining obligations

You are not a better teacher for denying yourself rest. You’re just more exhausted.

Dealing with teacher guilt

When guilt arrives about not working:

Acknowledge it: “I notice I’m feeling guilty.”

Remind yourself: “Rest is part of my professional practice.”

Redirect: Do something restorative. Take a walk. Start that novel.

Set boundaries: If you must do school work, contain it. One hour maximum. Set a timer.

Holiday navigation

Protect your energy during holiday obligations:

• Don’t attend every gathering
• Have a redirect ready for school questions: “I’m taking a break from work. Tell me about…”
• Schedule recovery time after demanding events
• Remember you’re off duty from managing everyone’s emotions

Restoration practices

The daily nothing: Schedule 30 minutes to do absolutely nothing. No phone, no book. Just sit. Let your mind wander.

The artist date: Do something creative with no purpose. Finger paint. Build with Legos. Reconnect with play.

The body check-in: Notice how your body feels without fixing anything. Let it tell you what it needs.

The joy hunt: Actively seek tiny moments of joy. Perfect coffee. Sunlight. Cat purring. Collect these moments.

What recovery looks like

Recovery might look like:

• Crying because you finally have space to feel
• Sleeping 12 hours and still feeling tired
• Doing nothing “productive” for days
• Feeling temporarily worse before better
• Having no idea what to do with unstructured time

This is normal. You’re recalibrating from months of intensity.

Preparing for re-entry

In the final days of break—not before—gentle preparation:

• Set out clothes for day one
• Review your schedule (don’t plan lessons yet)
• Restock classroom snacks
• Send one “looking forward to seeing you” message

Save heavy lifting for when you’re paid to do it.

Your restoration checklist

• Sleep without alarms for three days
• Read something unrelated to education
• Do one daily thing that serves only joy
• Say no to three obligations
• Spend time in nature
• Move your body in ways that feel good
• Connect with energizing people
• Practice doing absolutely nothing
• Forgive yourself for needing rest

The long game

Teaching is a marathon, not a sprint. You’re not just recovering from this term—you’re investing in your ability to teach for years to come.

Your students don’t need a martyr. They need a teacher who models working hard and resting well. Who shows them that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s sustainable.

When you truly rest, around day 4 or 5, real energy returns. Not caffeine-fueled adrenaline, but actual energy. Ideas bubble up naturally. You might even feel excited about teaching again.

Don’t rush it. Let restoration complete itself.

By resting deeply, you give your students a teacher who returns refreshed, creative, and present. You give yourself proof that you can stop and the world doesn’t fall apart. That you matter beyond productivity.

Rest now. Fully. Unapologetically. Your future self—and your future students—will thank you.

Next week: Planning for 2026 – Setting intentions (not resolutions) for the year ahead

What’s your biggest challenge with resting during breaks? Share in the comments—let’s normalize the struggle.

Need accountability in actually resting this break? Book a 1-on-1 coaching call and let’s create a restoration plan you’ll actually follow.