The ‘Do Less’ Summer Plan: Give Yourself Permission to Rest and Grow

If you haven't listened to that one yet , you might want to go back and grab the free reflection chart in the show notes . It is the perfect way to wrap your mind around the year you just had and do some intentional planning for next year . To wrap your mind around the year you just had and do some intentional planning for next year .

But today , today , we're talking about what to do with your break , specifically , how to get the most out of it without burning yourself out or checking out completely . This episode is all about striking the balance between rest , growth and boundaries so you can recharge and refocus without guilt . Let's get to it .

Hey , special educator , are you overwhelmed by the absurd amount of paperwork on your to-do list ? Do you wish you had the skills to build a rock solid team with your staff ? Do you find yourself scouring the internet for how to meet the needs of each student on your caseload ? Well , hey , there .

I'm Jennifer Hopper , an award-winning veteran special education teacher and current instructional coach who has walked in your shoes through each of these challenges and yes , I have the metaphorical blisters to prove it . I have cried your tears and felt your pain , and now I'm here to support you in the way I wish someone would have been there to support me .

Listen in each week as my guests and I dish out practical wisdom to help you handle all the classroom curveballs that are thrown at you and learn how to laugh in spite of the chaos , to celebrate those small yet significant victories that only a special educator can understand . So are you ready ?

Wipe your tears and put on your superhero cape , because together we're going to learn how to survive and thrive in the ever crazy , completely overwhelming laugh , so you don't cry . Profession of being a special education teacher . Now I know that as soon as summer break hits , we all start thinking about how to use it .

Well , some of us want to get ahead for next year , some of us just want to sleep for two weeks straight and most of us land somewhere in between . The truth is , summer doesn't need to be hyperproductive or completely unplugged . It can be a balance of both .

So in today's episode , I'm sharing four ways you can get the most out of your summer break through rest , personal growth , setting boundaries

and yes , a little light professional development if you're up for it . Let's start with the most important piece prioritizing rest and relaxation . As special educators , we are constantly on the emotional load , the physical demands , the mental juggling . We just we carry it all . So when summer comes around , rest really isn't a luxury , it's a necessity .

You hear non-education people saying that well , you get a summer break , but they don't understand how much of ourselves that we give throughout a school year , that getting those couple of months in the summer is necessary for us to mentally recover . So what that looks like is sleeping in if your body needs it , taking naps without

guilt , saying no to extra commitments that don't serve you and giving yourself permission to do nothing for a bit . When I was first teaching , I used to feel a little embarrassed during those back-to-school icebreakers when we'd go around the room and share what we did over summer break .

Some teachers would talk about their big , extravagant vacations cruises , international travel , weeks at the beach and I'd find myself wishing I could be one of those adventurous vacationing families when it was my turn . Usually all I had to share was that I spent time getting some much-needed rest and relaxation .

I read some books , I slept in each day , I sat by the pool with my daughters , I had some lunch dates with my non teacher friends , took some short trips to visit my parents , or I went boating for a couple of weekends , but it didn't take long for me to realize that's what I needed , that's how I rest and relax , and I shouldn't have to feel guilty or

embarrassed by that . I had no schedules to follow , no decisions to make , and I had limited demands on my time . Of course , I have taken some big trips over the years , but I've learned that big trips , while fun for some , can be really exhausting for me . And that's okay , because rest doesn't have to look a certain way to be valid .

The point is , rest is personal . It doesn't have to look like Instagram-worthy adventures or a checklist of impressive activities . It just has to give you what you need . Maybe that's travel , maybe that's quiet mornings at home , or maybe it's a mixture of both .

Whatever it looks like , give yourself full permission to embrace it guilt-free , because when you rest , you're not being lazy or falling behind . You are

refueling , you are giving your body , your mind and your heart what they need so that , when it's time to step back into the classroom , you're not running on empty . So , however you choose to unwind this summer , know this you deserve it and it counts . The second one is to focus on personal growth and not just PD .

It's easy to think of summer as a time to binge all of the webinars or knock out 20 hours of professional development , but I want you to think broader than that . What kind of person do you want to be walking into next school year ? Do you want to feel more balanced , more confident ? Do you want to be a better communicator ?

Do you want to be calmer , healthier , happier , more confident ? Do you want to be a better communicator ? Do you want to be calmer , healthier , happier , more joyful ? Sometimes , personal growth has nothing to do with work and everything to do with how we take care of ourselves .

So this summer , instead of just focusing on collecting certificates or adding to your resume , ask yourself what lights me up outside of teaching . What habits do I want to build or rebuild ? Where have I been pouring from an empty cup For me ?

I love to learn by listening to self-improvement podcasts while I walk , watching short trainings that get right to the point , or even diving into some historical fiction TV shows and then researching what's fact and what's fiction . Learning doesn't always have to look like traditional PD . It can be fun , engaging and totally tailored to your interests .

The important thing is that it sparks curiosity and helps you grow in ways that matter to you . The key is to choose learning that fuels you , not drains you . So when you do some professional development over the summer , make sure it's something that aligns with what you actually want to improve , not just something to check off of a list .

This could be the summer that you start reading for fun , you start journaling , you learn to cook something new that definitely will not be on my list , or you finally take that yoga class you've been curious about . It doesn't have to be big , it just has to feed the part of you that often gets pushed to the side during a school year .

Remember you are more than your job , and the more you grow as a person , the stronger you'll be as a teacher . The third one is to set summer boundaries and actually keep them . Summer break can fill up fast , and not just with vacations or school prep .

Before you know it , you are answering emails from parents , you're popping into the school quote just for a minute and then staying for hours , or you're committing to things that eat up more time than you planned . And for those of you who have kids at home , it's easy to fall into the trap

of thinking we have to keep them constantly entertained or enrolled in every camp , sport and activity available . Here's your permission slip . You don't . You don't have to be on all summer , and your kids don't either . In fact , just like you , your kids probably need some time to rest , reset and breathe without being shoveled from one thing to the next .

It's okay to have slow mornings . It's okay to let them be bored sometimes . It's okay to create space for stillness . So ask yourself what do I want my days to feel like this summer ? What do my kids need to recharge and what can I say no to in order to protect that space ? Maybe that looks like checking school email only once a week or not at all .

Maybe it's one camp per child , not five . Maybe it's simply giving yourself permission to take a real break without guilt . You don't owe anyone 12 months of nonstop teacher or mom energy . Summer is your reset button , so I want you to protect it . And then the fourth one is to create a to-do and a do-not-do list . This one is both fun and freeing .

Yes , it is totally okay to have a summer to-do list those things that you want to accomplish when the pace of life slows down . Maybe it's organizing your digital files , planning a few lessons , or finally updating your para handbook , or things at home , like finally getting to do that spring cleaning that you never did cleaning out closets or cupboards .

But just as important as your to-do list is the do not do list that you need to write for yourself . I'm serious . I want you to actually sit down and make a do not do list , because boundaries need to be named if they're going to be kept . Your do not do list might include don't say yes to every ask . Don't go into your classroom more than once .

Don't check your work email . Don't take work on vacation . Don't beat yourself up for not being productive every day . This list is a gentle reminder that rest is allowed , that doing less doesn't make you any less committed and that giving yourself a break is one of the most productive things you can do .

So go ahead and make both of those lists the things you'd like to do this summer and the things that you're giving yourself full permission to let go of . You deserve both . So , in conclusion , summer break doesn't have to be all or nothing . It's not rest or productivity . It can be a little of both if you are intentional .

Give yourself permission to rest deeply , grow gently and do the PD that truly serves you . Protect your time , find joy outside of work and don't forget you deserve this break . Thanks for joining me today . Next week we will continue the talk on summer strategies for special educators . Until then , enjoy your break . You've earned it .

Take care and I'll see you next week .