The three of us at Learning Scientists recently had a conversation about the summer and how much work academics and teachers should do over breaks.
Sure, classes stop over the summer (or at least slow down for those of us in a college setting), but there’s always more to do. Teachers and academics often have a long list of things that “should” be done over breaks, and we know many feel guilty about taking time during breaks to relax.
Yet science tells us that relaxing and taking a break is important, so we have compiled a list of five pieces of further reading focused on the idea of taking breaks.
Some are about the physical and mental importance of self-care, while others are blogs written by teachers about how important breaks can be.
So, this summer, remember to take some time off, take a deep breath, and relax!
1) Why Self-Care is Important for Your Physical and Mental Health by Emily Roberts
A reminder that taking care of ourselves is important for our mental and physical health.
2) Break time may improve memory by James Devitt, @JamesDevittNY
Discussing the research behind taking breaks, and improvements in cognitive functioning as a result.
3) Take a Break by Kristen Difiore
Kristen Difiore writes a blog called Teaching Sanity (@teachingsanity). In this post, she talks about the importance of taking breaks as a teacher.
4) How I Saved My Teaching Career: Step 2: Take Time Off by Siobhan Curious
Another teacher telling a story about the importance of taking time off and avoiding burnout. This teacher took a fair amount of time off and highlights the importance of taking the time you need.
This post is part of a larger series of posts “Triumph Over Burnout: How I Saved My Teaching Career”.
5) The Science of Taking a Break by OnlineSchools.org
This post focuses on the importance of taking a break while studying and cites a lot of great research with links.
This post first appeared on the Learning Scientists website, which is run by Dr Megan Smith, Dr Yana Weinstein and Dr Cindy Wooldridge.
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