Time for a respite
It’s always a stretch to spring break- a “can I even muster patience and effort for one more day?” kind of stretch to spring break.
It’s okay to feel that, and it’s necessary to listen to it.
Take a break.
In my early years of teaching, I thought- oh good, moment to catch up on grading, organization, planning, and rest. Skip the first three. There will always be a black hole of nothing but grading, organization, and planning. Take a break- not because it will make you a better teacher, because it will make you a better you. And because it will feel good.
I would take weekends at times and dive all the way in. I thought that it would be well worth the relief of having it done- not being behind. I would grade until late, thinking that having the baseball game on or the surroundings of a coffee shop would make the weekend of work less taxing. At the end of such weekends, I felt tired but relieved.
Then came Monday. I would somehow feel anger well within when the students turned in their homework or quiz or classwork. Argggggg- behind on grading again. It just kept coming- the grading, the planning, the preparation.
There will always be work to do. You will never feel as prepared, as caught up, as creative as you want to be.
Do not use the “always there” excuse to not take a break.
Excellent themes. It goes to the adage about pouring from an empty cup. You can’t! A complete break is essential throughout the month, for a respite or escape from whatever the emotional load of work is. Even a 24 hour hold on all thoughts Work is quite useful. I consider it burnout prevention. Cheers! And great photo headline, too