It can be such a challenge to make it through those last few weeks of the school year as a teacher. We both know that as teachers ourselves, we always find that we are quite tired and run down by this point!

That’s why we wanted to share our favourite strategies on how to survive the rest of the school year. So read on to learn more or listen to our podcast episode below for an in depth conversation.

The end of the school year is always a struggle – not only are we done but our students are done too! They are definitely tired and ready for summer break to begin.

The longer daylight hours, and the reappearance of the sun as really helped us to wake up in the morning, and to enjoy our days and evenings. However, there are so many events and activities happening in our buildings (both during the day and in the evenings) at this time of year that it can be overwhelming, and completely exhausting!

Katie has slumped shoulders and is looking sad and tired; Rachel looks concerned. Above Katie's head is a low battery symbol in red.

With this in mind, we thought we would share some strategies that we will be using, and that we recommend you try, to help get us all through to the summer break with our sanity intact!

1. It’s okay to say no – don’t stretch yourself too thin!

This one is difficult, but it’s an important lesson for all teachers to learn. When there are so many different events and activities going on, it isn’t always possible to attend them all – so don’t feel badly saying no to things when you have a lot going on.

You don’t want to stretch yourself too thin, especially if you are already feeling tired or rundown, so be okay with saying no to some of these events! Go to the ones that you are able to, but don’t feel like you have to do them all.

2. Take care of yourself – even if it means a nap or a mental health day!

Bitmoji of Rachel and Katie. Both look exhausted; Katie is stretching her arms above her head and yawning. Text: "SLEEPY"

If you are tired after a long day, don’t feel badly about having a mini-nap or a nap. It can be a great way to re-energize at the end of the school day so that you can do all of the things you need to do around the house, or run errands, etc.

If you do nap, you’ll need to figure out the number of minutes that is perfect for your sleep cycle! The worst thing you can do is wake yourself up during deep sleep. So play with the number and find out what works for you.

And if you are at a point of exhaustion where you’re really struggling to function, take the day off to rest and recover. If there’s anything that we have learned over the last year or so, it is that teachers are replaceable. If something happens to you, there will be another teacher in your place the following day.

So take the time you need to be well – we have sick days for a reason!

3. Give yourself permission to not be the best

When things are tough, and you’re exhausted, it’s okay to back off on all of the extras you do in your daily job. We don’t have to be the best educator possible every single day.

Trying all the new strategies and classroom models is exhausting and requires a lot of planning and problem solving, so take a break – it’s okay! All of the new things we implement is amazing, and has been great learning, but sometimes we need to take a step back and let things happen, even if they aren’t perfect.

If you have a course team, then rely on them to help you out when needed. While you may like things done a specific way, or you may have preferences for font and layouts, etc., but it’s okay to let those go for a bit.

This is the first real school year since the pandemic, so we have had a couple of years where events, teams, clubs, etc. were not all running. This allowed us to get a taste of work-life balance. Now that this balance is gone again, it is exhausting, and it’s difficult to keep forging ahead with all of the new ways of teaching, etc. Give yourself permission to take a step back.

4. Avoid the news and social media

This can be difficult to do, but sometimes we need to take a break from the news and social media. Teachers in Ontario currently do not have a contract, and so the news and politics on social media can be exhausting. Teachers are often vilified, and it takes a lot of energy to try to deal with all of the negativity out there and all the hatred towards teachers.

With this in mind, we have both been backing away from the news and social media for a bit, and trying to maintain a positive and energized frame of mind. It means that we are a bit behind, and are more reactionary with respect to world events, but it is difficult to constantly be surrounded by negative and difficult news.

5. Spend time connecting with friends and family

One way to recharge or fill your bucket is to connect with the people that you are close to. Take a bit of time out of your weekend (or an evening) and spend some time catching up and connecting with others. It could be on the phone, a Google Meet (or FaceTime), or even meeting up for a meal or coffee. This is a great way to reconnect with friends and family, and to help you feel energized and happy.

6. Create boundaries for your work-life balance

One huge way that has impacted us is to not check emails after school hours – this has made a HUGE difference for our stress levels. With that in mind, consider creating your own boundaries, and finding ways to purposely unplug from work once you are at home.

You’ll immediate notice a decrease in stress levels! It’s amazing how something so simple can have such a big impact.

7. COFFEE!

Katie and Rachel smiling at a massive mug of coffee. The coffee has the following text formed by coffee foam: "Coffee?"

This one is a personal favourite for both of us. While it isn’t necessarily the best way to cope, it is definitely one thing that helps us to get through the day. Just make sure to limit your coffee after a certain time (12pm or so) so it doesn’t impact your sleep!

If you do resort to coffee – don’t go wild with it – keep it to a manageable amount.

8. Keep up your hobbies

Having hobbies and routines is such an important thing to maintain, even when you’re feeling exhausted and rundown.

For example, if you like to workout, keep the routine going for as much as you can. Keep in mind though that it’s okay to also listen to your body and give yourself permission to skip a day if you need to do so!

You might also want to think about your eating routine and focusing more on fresh veg and fruit We’ve found that this can really help with energy levels and it can make a big difference!

But more than workouts and food, make sure you do things that bring you joy! Make time for it, even if you’re feeling stressed or like you have to do marking, planning, etc. You need to create a space for joy, and it will help balance you out and make everything else feel possible.

9. Vent with critical friends

When you’re working hard and feeling tired and rundown, it’s important to have an outlet and someone to talk to. Consider tapping a colleague and/or friend on the shoulder and chatting and venting every once in a while to help destress.

If you don’t vent or share your feelings and stress, it could end up being bottled up and then you’ll reach a point where you can’t bottle it up anymore, and it feels so much worse. So find your people, and schedule some time to chat together, share your frustrations, and support one another.

10. Plan forward for your break

One last thing that is important, particularly when you’re feeling exhausted and burnt out, is to plan forward. We are both really excited for the summer break, and we have plans coming up that we can look forward to.

Bitmoji of Katie and Rachel. Rachel is smiling and gesturing towards Katie, asking "Plans?"

Whatever you do, it’s important to find strategies that work for you, and that will help you to address your exhaustion, and maybe even help you to reenergize for the final push to the end of the school year!

Let us know what strategies work for you – we are always looking for new ways to help us deal with the stress and exhaustion of the job.

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