How to Recharge & Prepare for the Last Quarter

Spring is in the air! I just love spring and all the “new beginning” feelings it brings. However, as much as we want to be spring cleaning and getting outdoors, I know you’re a teacher and you’re tired. Very, very, tired!

It’s okay to be tired! You’ve spent almost a whole year now teaching in a pandemic, coming up with two sets of lesson plans for virtual and in-person learning, reminding kids to keep their masks on, checking in on their emotional well-being, trying to get some professional development accomplished, all while needing to take care of yourself, too.

So yes, it’s okay to be tired! And honestly, that last piece of the puzzle always seems to come last on the list of priorities far too many times: “Take care of myself.”

Do you make it a point every week to do something for YOU? There’s not one bit of doing so that is selfish or unnecessary. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

I know it can be hard to take a step back and reevaluate your own mental and emotional well-being (trust me, I’ve been there!), so I’ve put together this guide for how to recharge and prepare for the last quarter of the school year!

Get it All Out on Paper (or Your Computer)

I’m a pen and paper gal for life. 😉 But hey, digital notes work, too! Everything that is going through your mind right now – inputting grades, preparing lesson plans, making copies, laminating, your kid’s birthday party, what you’re cooking for dinner, everything that needs accomplished between now and the end of the quarter – get it all down in a notes system and out of your head! It’s okay to make the list super extensive and specific. The more you write down, the more you get to cross off, right? I love that feeling!

Take Care of What You Can’t Stop Thinking About First

Make a quick glance at your list and decide what you can’t seem to stop thinking about that needs to get done, and do those things first. They’re probably the biggest, most time-consuming things, am I right? That’s usually how my mind works! Don’t think about how much time they’re going to take to accomplish. Instead, focus on how GOOD you’re going to feel once they’re done!

Pass Off What You Can Pass Off

Identify what needs accomplished, but isn’t something only you have to do. For example: That big stack of grading that you’ve been putting off. How much of that homework is something you can turn into a whole-class review instead of grading yourself? Can you ask your friends to come over one night and help you cut out your lamination? You can provide snacks and wine! 😉 Could you ask your partner to cook or order local take out? Work smarter, not harder!

Plan as Far in Advance as Possible

What’s better than getting back from spring break to a lesson planner and copies that are complete for the next 4 weeks? Nothing! 🙂 I know this time of year can bring a lot of unknowns and lots of “not sure if we’ll get to that or not” type lessons, but plan as much as you can!

I can help you plan your morning work with these March and April Morning Work tubs! 

I can also help with no-prep printable activities. These Sight Word Write and Read pages incorporate writing sight words with reading them in simple sentences.

Schedule at Least One Thing You’ve Been Wanting to Accomplish Personally

Once you get all of your school tasks accomplished and you’re ready for break, schedule a time for you to work on one thing you’ve recently wanted to do in your personal life. Maybe it’s finally getting to organize a space in your home you’ve been wanting to, enjoying a new book you haven’t had time to start, or even just lying on the couch and binging a Netflix series! Schedule it. Of course it sounds great to sleep in over spring break (and you definitely should a little), but waking up before the rest of the house to do something that you want to do is life giving!!

I hope you’ve found your go-to guide helpful for recharging and preparing for your last quarter! You are almost to the finish line, my dear! You’ve got this!

To help you recharge, I’m giving away a $25 Starbucks gift card and a $25 Teachers Pay Teachers gift card! You can enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

*This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Starbucks or Teachers Pay Teachers. You must be at least 18 years old to enter.