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 It’s Spring Break!

Teachers, it is time for spring break! It’s a time of year to breathe, relax, and reflect. You have one week of many possibilities. You’re probably wondering what to do with yourself. You’ve already promised yourself to catch up on grading papers, completing reports or lesson planning.  Don’t do it! Instead, here are ten benefits and things to do during spring break.

Take A Nap

First, you can take a nap every day.  There’s nothing like an afternoon nap! Whether it is 20 minutes or an hour, you will love waking up refreshed. According to  American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend that adults aged 18–60 years sleep at least 7 hours each night to promote optimal health and well-being. One in three adults doesn’t get enough sleep according to the Center for Disease Control. That’s one-third of the nation’s adults not getting a good night sleep. Therefore, take the time for a midday nap to replenish your energy.

Get A Massage

Get a full body massage. Surely, you have some kinks to work out of your shoulders, neck, feet, or back. A 60  or 90-minute massage can make you feel invigorated. An article by the American Massage Therapy Association states that massage therapy can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and muscle tension. The article, 25 Reasons to Get A Massage gives an excellent overview of the benefits of massage therapy.

Take A Getaway Vacation

Take a three or four-day getaway vacation. Think of it as a micro-vacation.  A benefit of being an educator is that you have spring break, holiday break, and some three day holiday weekends built into the work schedule. Therefore, you can plan two or three getaways during the school year. Also, the benefit of quick getaways is that you will be happier and more relaxed when you return. You can be spontaneous or take time to plan your micro-vacation. Choose a location based on what type of activities you want to do. Then pack your weekend bag and enjoy yourself!

Cook A Healthy Meal

A previous blog post mentioned that educators are not the healthiest eaters. Most mornings you’re running out of the door without eating breakfast. Due to your schedule at work, you barely have time to eat a healthy lunch. Then upon returning home in the evening, you’re too tired to cook a nutritious dinner. So, what do you do? Many days it’s fast food or restaurant food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now you have one week off. That’s time to plan, grocery shop, and prepare delicious meals for you and your family.

Meet Friends for Lunch or Dinner

Friendships enrich your life and can improve your health. A recent article in Psychology Today, “Why Do We Need Friend? Six Benefits of Healthy Friendships,” states that true friends keep you grounded and give you needed support. Furthermore, good friends will be your ride or die whenever you need them.  Often time, educators get so busy with work, family issues and personal matters that friends are on the back burner. Spring break is a perfect time to have girls or guys night out.

Watch A Movie

Going to the movies, buying popcorn and snacks is a fun way to relax. You can go alone or with friends. Whether you like mysteries, action, romance or Sci-Fi, it’s a chance to transfer away from reality. The average movie is approximately 120 minutes. Movie houses have very comfortable settings with reclining chairs and surround sound. Therefore the ambiance is perfect for relaxation. A great film can make you laugh, cry, dream, think, or escape. Once the movie is over, you will feel much better.

Read A Book

Reading has health benefits, too. You know all of the books you have meant to read. Yes, the ones piled up on your nightstand or the e-books on your tablet are waiting for you. Spring break is a perfect time to catch up on pleasure reading. Real Simple magazine published an article, “8 Science-Backed Reasons to Read a (Real) Book”. It talked about the joy of holding an actual book in your hand. Reading is beneficial to your health because it helps you relax. Socially reading makes you more empathetic. Most importantly, reading can help you to sleep. 

Binge Watch Your Favorite TV Shows

Catch up on your favorite TV shows during spring break. Remember all of the shows stored on the DVR. Or do you have a list of shows queued on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime? Now you have a week to sit and binge. While you’re watching, eat healthy snacks and forget about everything else for a few hours.
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Spend Time With Your Family

The family should always come first. Your busy schedule probably doesn’t allow for much bonding time with your spouse or children. Special bonding moments with family must be meaningful. Therefore during spring break plan a special outing or project with your immediate children, spouse, siblings, or parents. The benefits of spending time together include, family members learn how to listen and work together. Also, family members get to know each other better and have the opportunity to have fun together. Schedule valuable quality time with family during your spring break.

Exercise

Something everyone needs to do on a regular basis is exercise. However, in reality, most people do not get enough exercise. This spring break, you can start a new healthy routine of exercises at least three times per week. Healthline.com writes about the Top 10 Benefits of Regular Exercise. A couple of the benefits are training makes you emotionally happier and physically healthier. Exercise can also help you to sleep better and improve your memory.

These ten things to do during spring break are just the tip of the iceberg. Do not over plan or overextend yourself during the time off. You deserve the rest, but experience something fun and entertaining. Afterward, you’ll be in a great emotional and physical space to return to work. Enjoy your spring break.

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 If you click on the link, a small commission maybe apid.