Weekend teacher guilt – we have all felt it. It’s that nagging sense that papers must be graded, reports should be written, and lessons need to be planned.
It can turn a perfectly beautiful, fun weekend into one that’s filled with stress and anxiety. Hushing the teacher guilt on weekends is not only a good idea, but it’s also vital for your mental well-being and family relationships.
Leaving work for the workweek sounds like it should be easy to do, but every teacher knows that’s not the case. So how do you quiet that guilt and relax? We asked veteran teachers for their tips and tricks on how to hush teacher guilt on the weekends and breaks. Their answers are below!
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Tips for Hushing Teacher Guilt on Weekends and Breaks
1. Turn off work email on your phone.
During the school year, it’s often convenient to configure your work email with your phone so that you can check it before and after school. On the weekends (but seriously all the time too – set the boundary), turn off notifications for your school email address so that nothing pops up or shows you an email count. This helps create a boundary between work and home that your family will appreciate as well.
2. Focus on Family
Teaching can be all-consuming. The time requirements make it hard on your family as well because they miss you and need your presence. On the weekends, resolve to dedicate that time to them. They deserve and need just as much of your attention as you give your job.
3. Remind Yourself That There Will Always Be Paperwork
“If I can just get this paperwork done, I’ll be able to get ahead.” How many of us have told ourselves that lie? The truth is that once that paperwork is completed, there are ten more documents that need to be filled out or created.
There will always be paperwork, but there will never be another today.
4. Keep In Mind That Everything Will Get Accomplished
It doesn’t matter how fast or how slow you move, in the end, you will, without a doubt, never get everything completed that you want or need to complete. If you don’t set aside time to relax and decompress, it will end up taking longer to do the things you need to do because you won’t be able to focus and concentrate.
5. Your Students and Family Need a Healthy, Happy You
While it might seem like a luxury to shut off your phone and read a book all afternoon, it’s a great way to recharge and become a better teacher and mom. Your students and family deserve the best you possible, and taking care of yourself will help create that. If you’re feeling guilty about taking time for yourself, reframe it that you’re doing it for your kids.
How do you combat the teacher guilt of taking off on the weekends and breaks? Do you have a favorite saying that helps put you in the right frame of mind? Share with us in the comments below or in our Facebook group! We would love to see how you suppress the guilt.
