School's Out: 5 Ways to Activate Summer Mode

Alice Cooper says it best when he rocks out his 1972 hit, School's Out. His high energy rock ballad fuels our fire as we belt out that legendary chorus. Come on now, sing it with me:

School's out for summer!

School's out forever!

Okay okay...it's not out FOREVER, but hey, we can dream, right?

Summer break comes when we need it most and stays for the 2-3 month period. No matter how hard we try, we all know that our teacher brain is incapable of turning off completely. Our 10 month stint through school becomes our whole life, and it's hard to disconnect, even when we aren't in the building. In order to enjoy our time off and embrace our summer fully, it's important to deactivate our teacher brain and switch it to summer mode.

You're probably laughing to yourself and thinking, "there's no way to fully turn off our teacher mode, the setting is permanent." Nice try, Kendall, try again! Believe it or not, I'm also laughing to myself, because I 100% agree with you! There are many times where I feel my most prepared after spending time in the summer prepping for the upcoming school year. So why would I want to tell you how to do the opposite, you might ask? It's important and you deserve it, that's why!

In order to squeeze in every possible non-work related activity, it's important to do so in a manner that doesn't have you itching to get back to work and therefore missing out on your summer itinerary. You can still think about your back to school to do list or which classroom theme you want, so long as you enjoy your time without your teacher badge (I stash mine in my car console...out of sight, out of mind). You need to find a healthy balance between the two, but the question is, how do you do it?

There are multiple answers to that question, so I narrowed it down to my personal "top 5" tips to keep that vacation mode turned on all summer long!

Tip #1 - If you go into school over break...set a time limit!

Let's just address the elephant in the room right now, folks. Whether you're a first year teacher or a 20 year teacher, it's hard to not go into school when you have the quiet, empty space to work. No students, an empty building, tons of time on your hands, it's the perfect way to get a teacher to swoon. HOWEVER....remind yourself that you're on summer break, and working in your classroom is quite the opposite. Perhaps you dedicate a few hours to work in your room one day, and then cut yourself off when the timer runs out! If you've already gone a couple days back-to-back in one week, take the rest of the week/weekend off! If you feel you need additional time before the school year starts, go in the week prior to school. This will allow you to still enjoy your summer without worrying about going in to school to work. You spend enough time in that building during the school year, you deserve to spend time AWAY from it!

Tip #2 - Embrace the feeling of DOING NOTHING

Full disclosure...I can't stand sitting around doing nothing. It drives me nuts! Blame it on my overly active brain, my anxiety, whatever you want, it's my reality. With that said, I do know it's important to accept the idea of doing nothing. As teachers, we spend our workdays 110% ON without rest, unless you get five minutes to pee. THAT, my friends, is sacred time, don't deny it. Whenever you're graced with an opportunity to do nothing, you need to allow yourself the time to feel it. Give yourself permission to be okay with not having an obligation to do or somewhere to go. In addition, don't feel you need to create something to do in order to replace your time of "doing nothing." We all need our time to rest, decompress and recharge. Verbal affirmations also carry a lot of weight, so don't be afraid to tell yourself that! Here, I'll help you out:

"I give myself permission to be okay with doing nothing."

Yes, it's weird, and yes it probably seems uncomfortable, but I promise the more you use it, the more you'll believe it!

Tip #3 - Do things you wouldn't normally do

Yes, I'm aware I just got done preaching about doing nothing, and now you're reading about how you should do things during your summer break. Quite a contrast, this is true. However, stick with me so you can understand where this goes!

Summer time is a glorious opportunity to branch out and do things you wouldn't normally do or aren't able to do during the school year. First one that pops into my own head? GOING OUT TO LUNCH. It's funny how just going somewhere to eat lightens my mood, takes away the stress or brings me joy. Whether it's with a friend, a family member or even by myself, I love having the option to go somewhere. Normally, we pack our lunch bags and sit in a teacher's lounge, constantly checking the clock before our break is up. In the summertime, you can venture to a new cafe, a restaurant that's a family favorite, wherever! As they say, the world is your oyster!

Going out to lunch isn't the only thing you can do when not teaching, however. You can tackle a new project or hobby where you can dedicate more time and energy. Go to the gym in the morning or afternoon rather than cramming it in during the evening hours. Binge watch that tv show you keep hearing about from your friends! If you feel the need to declutter, then tackle that closet or junk drawer. Go shopping or take a day trip somewhere you've never been before, you never know what you'll find! My point in all this is to remind you that you were given this time off, so use it in a way that makes sense to you and contributes to you positively.

Tip #4 - Prioritize the priorities

When we signed our teacher contract after being hired, we agreed to uphold a professional standard in our new role: educating children and providing a safe space for them to grow and succeed. We prioritize the students in our classrooms everyday, and that shows our commitment to our profession. Share your appreciation with yourself RIGHT NOW, because that's hard to do!

However, you also have to remember to prioritize OTHER priorities in your life, especially in the summer. Whether you're a parent, sibling, roommate, significant other, it's imperative that you dedicate your time to what matters with your relationships. If you're working on building a new home, getting involved in a leadership role in the community, studying for a test or getting another degree, you want to make sure you place emphasis on those endeavors. We gain additional time in the summer to prioritize these aspects of our lives, so we don't want to lose that opportunity. Once school starts back up in the Fall, we have to work harder to prioritize these pieces of our lives in a way that seems balanced. Trying to find that balance is always a struggle, so utilize the summertime that you have to make up for time lost.

Tip #5 - Take time for YOU

Teaching is such a selfless profession and it represents a strong, student-centered focus. We provide, engage, serve and teach children the necessary skills to be successful in life. Day after day we give our time, energy and effort to these kids that we love so much. We wouldn't be in the profession if we didn't! On top of that, teachers with families go home after work and continue their selfless profession with their significant others and kids. During summer break, you need to remember to take time for YOU, without argument. Think of this as your time to be a little selfish with yourself. This could be something a simple as not setting an alarm and staying in bed for a while after you wake up. Go on a walk around your neighborhood and embrace the freedom of being where you want to be on your own time. Go get a pedicure (you too, gentlemen), purchase a new outfit, save the dirty laundry for another day, ANYTHING you would normally not pursue due to your selfless heart. Teachers require the time off so that they can give themselves what THEY need to be successful. Otherwise, we can't expect ourselves to be successful for our families or our students when the next school year rolls around.

So what now?

At this point, I hope you've given yourself your accountability check-in with this list, and you acknowledge what you are doing already to keep that summer mode activated. If you're noticing that you're not doing some (or all) of these things, I encourage you to try one today! Try a different one tomorrow. You're on summer break already, so why not see where it goes? Take it from Alice Cooper, he sure knows how to feel when his summer mode is on.