The months leading up to Spring Break can be some of the busiest during the school year for those who work within schools. From navigating course selection to ensuring seniors and families have completed their FAFSA to assisting students with making sure they have a plan for after graduation, counselors often put in long hours and late nights supporting students, families, and colleagues. 

Spring Break delivers a much-needed retreat from the high-stakes, stressful nature that often defines these months. Whether travelling, spending time at home, connecting with family and friends, or simply having a few days to unwind, the change in pace provides a necessary pause. Use the tips below to help make the most out of the day off–ensuring that the time away from school is filled with rest and rejuvenation to continue doing the work necessary to help students and their families cross that end-of-school-year finish line.  

Disconnect from Work: Heading into Spring Break, try to complete anything that must get done before the end of break so that the entirety of the time off is absent from work-related pressures. Consider turning off those early-morning alarms set to make it to school on time and enable an automatic out-of-office email reply. If you know students or families might require access to certain resources over break, share instructions for accessing them within their learning management system or college and career readiness (CCR) platform. Try to leave work at school–both physical materials and the emotional weight–and attempt to refrain from checking emails each day. Creating a true boundary between you and work for these days can help to clear and calm your mind. 

Rest with Intention: Breaks can provide an opportunity to catch up on lost sleep. Prioritize getting enough hours of sleep each night and consider how to incorporate intentional periods of rest throughout the day. Whether rest comes from laying in sunshine, napping on the couch, or relaxing while watching a show, know that rest is vital to restoring balance. And choosing to do so over other things removes feelings of guilt that many always-busy professionals link to time that feels unproductive. 

Practice Mindfulness: Use time over break to discover or rediscover an activity that brings you calm. Mindfulness practices–such as guided meditation, yoga, or walks in nature–foster opportunities to slow down and reestablish a different pace. These practices can also help to shift mindsets from a place of stress and hurry to a place of quiet gratitude–noticing glimmers of hope, positivity, and beauty in day-to-day happenings. As you do this, notice any small practices that help to bring calm and try to integrate them when you go back to school.  

Check Something Off Your Personal To-Do List: So many educators sacrifice personal time for spending extra hours helping students and families. Amidst periods of rest and relaxation, there can be tremendous energy in tackling a project or two that you have been forced to put off because of this. From cleaning out a cabinet to painting a wall to vacuuming out a vehicle, setting aside a few hours over break to complete projects can help to relieve ongoing stressful conditions. If a task feels particularly overwhelming, consider setting a timer for small intervals of time and working until it goes off. Balancing rest and a few of these kinds of projects can foster feelings of productivity, without adding on to feelings of being overwhelmed.  

Enjoy Hobbies: Spending time reading a book for pleasure, journaling, going for a run, playing music, gardening, or enjoying a creative project such as painting, sewing, or even coloring can be wonderful antidotes to feelings of stress. Give yourself permission to play or create without structure, rules, or time constraints. Dedicating space and time for the things you enjoy and that have likely been put aside during the past few busy months can inspire joy and levity.  

Connect with Friends and Family: It can often be hard during the busy school year to really connect in meaningful ways with friends and family. Take time during the break to do something fun, silly, and/or new. Visit a museum, go out to eat, take a walk together, or just give yourselves opportunity to laugh and reminisce. These feelings of connection can often offer some of the best escapes from feelings of burnout or fatigue. 

Finishing the Year with a Renewed Focus 

One of the most important things to do over break is to remember and reset work-related boundaries and expectations. As you head back to school after break, try to maintain some of the boundaries between work and home when possible. Consider new ways to partner with colleagues who bring supportive, positive energy and consider how teamwork and delegating tasks can lighten the load. Reflect on the moments from break that brought the most peace and joy and find ways to embed those activities as you return to work. Consider ways you might be able to build in mindfulness practices, hobbies, walks in nature, or meet-ups with friends into your days or weeks. And, remember that modeling prioritizing emotional wellbeing is positive for the students and families you serve, as well.

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