As teachers and moms we give so much of ourselves to others. We give to our own children, we give to our students, we give to other teachers and other moms, we give to our spouses and our friends. We often end up so low on that list that we forget to give to ourselves.
Then summer comes and we finally get to go on vacation right? Well, not always. Yes we may not be teaching in our classrooms everyday but teachers know that too often summers aren’t really a time we take off of work.
Summers are all too often filled with learning new curriculum, new assessments, programs and new methods, creating new lessons, attending conferences and professional development, teaching summer school and summer programs, tutoring, taking classes, planning, reading professional development books and blogs, decorating and organizing classrooms and spending some time on Pinterest and Instagram looking for new and fun ideas.
It is important for us to remember that vacations are important! They are important for us and for the ones we love and care for.
You cannot pour from an empty cup.
Here are eleven reasons why taking vacations are important:
Improved Physical Health –Stress can contribute to heart disease and high blood pressure. Long-term studies in both men and women have shown that vacations can reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack.
Improved Mental Health - Researchers have also found that vacation is valuable for mental health and well-being. Feelings of calm arise from time away from work and relieve stress, which allows the body and mind to heal in ways that it couldn't if it were still under pressure.
Increased Mental Power - Upon returning from vacation, teachers are often more focused and productive. Time off can tune up a well-functioning brain.
Improved Family Relationships - Spending time enjoying life with loved ones can keep relationships strong. Vacationing with your family or loved ones help forge closer bonds. These shared experiences promote family bonding, which is priceless. Family vacations create more memories than any other activity.
Decreased Burnout - Teachers who take regular time to relax are less likely to experience burnout, making them more creative and productive than their overworked, under-rested peers.
Increased Stress Relief - Stress is a physiological response originally meant to help us and keep us safe. However, in modern society, chronic stress can be destructive to our bodies. Getting away for regular vacations and leaving our everyday stresses give us a break from the constant high levels of these hormones and a chance to repair some of the damage.
Maintained Focus - Continuous work with no breaks or vacations can make people feel blocked and distracted, and have problems concentrating.
Helped Prevent Illness - Stress can increase your chance of getting infections like colds and the flu, as well as more serious conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Improved Sex Life – There really is such a thing as vacation sex!
Improved Productivity - In our perpetual rush to be productive, we often undermine our very ability to consistently perform at peak levels. Getting more done in less time allows us to get ahead and be more productive, but it takes consistent focus to be truly productive. When you're more productive, you're happier, and when you're happier, you excel at what you do.
Improved Sleep - Restless nights and disrupted sleep are common complaints, often stemming from the fact that we simply have too much on our minds. When we can't stop the chatter it affects our sleep, and a lack of sleep leads to less focus, less alertness, impaired memory, an increased likelihood of accidents and a decreased quality of life.
And last, but not least, taking vacations can keep you young!
As you consider how you are going to spend your summer, if you've been putting off your vacation, think again. Take some time off so you can sleep better and be more productive, more relaxed, and healthier.
The bottom line is, taking time away from the stresses of work and daily life can improve our health, motivation, relationships, job performance, and perspective and give us the break we need to return to our lives and jobs refreshed and better equipped to take care of all of those little minds, hearts and hands.
Make yourself a priority and take some time off. Taking regular vacations is one of the most rewarding ways to stay healthy!