Welcome to The Flourishing Teacher's Field Guide.

The Christmas holidays are here, and I’m looking forward to a well-deserved break! As we start the festive season, I wanted to share some practical strategies for actually switching off and making the most of your well-deserved holiday.

If you've ever found yourself unable to relax during the break, or returned to school in January feeling like you never left, this one's for you!

Let's jump in...

Why Can't Teachers Just Switch Off?

I used to have a mindset that saw holidays as a chance to catch up on everything I hadn’t done through the term.

Not for me. For school. 

I found it almost impossible to stop.

Every holiday, the same pattern would emerge. I'd be absolutely exhausted by the end of term, dreaming of peaceful days and proper rest. But then I'd spend the first week of the break feeling anxious, checking emails "just in case", and unable to unwind.

By the time I finally started to relax, it was nearly time to go back.

Sound familiar?

The thing is, we spend months at maximum capacity, juggling multiple responsibilities and operating at incredibly high emotional and intellectual intensity. It's completely normal that we can't just flip a switch and relax.

But that doesn't mean we have to waste our precious holiday time either.

Through research and personal experience, I've discovered that the key isn't trying to force yourself to relax – it's creating a deliberate transition that allows your mind and body to gradually shift gears.

Here's how...

3 Science-Based Techniques For Actually Switching Off This Christmas

1. The "Buffer Zone" Technique

Research in occupational psychology shows that abrupt transitions between high-intensity work and rest can actually increase stress levels. Your brain needs time to process the shift.

To achieve this, I’ve started to create a deliberate 24-48 hour buffer zone between term and holiday:

• Clear physical spaces: Remove school items from your home or contain them in a specific area you won't see during the break

• Set digital boundaries: Remove school email from your phone, set up an out-of-office message

• Create transition rituals: Take a different route home on the last day, change your clothes when you get in, or do something that physically signals the shift to holiday mode

These kinds of physical actions help your brain recognise the transition, reset and prepare for rest.

2. The "Containment Practice"

This technique, adapted from therapeutic practice, helps manage work thoughts that inevitably pop up during the holiday:

• Designated worry time: Set aside a maximum of 15 minutes daily (not evening) to write down any school concerns - let your list hold the thoughts, not your head

• Thought parking: When school thoughts arise outside this time, acknowledge them and "park" them for your next designated session

• Physical container: Keep a special notebook for these thoughts – closing it physically represents containing work concerns

Research shows this structured approach reduces intrusive thoughts and anxiety while improving relaxation quality.

3. The "Energy Recovery Protocol"

Sports psychologists have found that active recovery is more effective than complete rest. I know it sounds totally counterintuitive, but it totally works. Apply this to your holiday transition:

Days 1-2: Decompression

• Focus on physical self-care basics: sleep, gentle movement, nutrition

• Avoid making big plans or decisions

• Give yourself permission to do "nothing"

Days 3-5: Gradual Engagement

• Start introducing enjoyable activities

• Reconnect with non-teacher identity

• Practice present-moment focus

Days 6+: Active Recovery

• Engage in fulfilling personal projects

• Nurture relationships

• Build positive momentum

Remember: The goal isn't to completely forget about school – it's to create healthy boundaries that allow genuine rest and recovery.

It’s not your responsibility to be a teacher when you’re on holiday. It’s your responsibility to be you.

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Thank You For Everything

As you head into the Christmas break, remember that you deserve this time to rest and recharge. You've given so much to your students this term – now it's time to give back to yourself.

The work will still be there in January, but right now, your only job is to rest.

Here's a quick reminder of our holiday transition strategies:

Remember, you're more than your marking, your lesson observations and your planning.

You're you. And that's all you need to be.