Prioritizing Rest: How Slowing Down is Beneficial

Winter break rolls around, and what do most teachers do?

They catch up on everything.

• Laundry piles.
• Grading stacks.
• Gift buying.
• House projects.
• Curriculum planning.

And maybe—if there’s time left over—they sneak in a nap or a holiday movie.

But here’s the truth: rest isn’t something you earn by hustling first. Rest is what sustains you so you can keep teaching, keep showing up, and keep living a life that feels whole.

The Break I Hustled Through vs. the One I Didn’t

I once spent an entire winter break grading essays. I told myself I’d “feel better” once it was done. But when January came, I wasn’t lighter. I was still exhausted—resentful, even.

The next year, I tried something different. Instead of powering through, I protected rest like a boundary.

I gave myself permission to:

• Sleep in without guilt.
• Go for walks without tracking steps.
• Watch movies with my kids without multitasking.

I still did small things here and there—an errand, a load of laundry—but instead of hustling, I made rest the priority.

That version of me walked into January whole. Grounded. Ready.

And that’s when I learned: you don’t earn rest—you sustain with it.

Why Teachers Feel Guilty About Rest

If you feel anxious when you slow down, you’re not alone. Many teachers struggle with what psychologists call “internalized productivity culture.”

It’s the belief that your worth is tied to output. That if you’re not doing, you’re failing.

Research backs this up:

• The American Psychological Association notes that “high-control professions” (like teaching) create chronic stress because the demands never end—meaning rest feels “unearned.”
• A study in the Journal of Occupational Health found that teachers who skip rest report higher burnout, less motivation, and more emotional exhaustion.
• Neuroscientists at Stanford discovered that true rest improves memory and creativity because your brain consolidates learning during downtime.

So when you rest, you’re not being lazy. You’re literally rewiring your brain to teach better, think clearer, and cope more effectively.

The “Rest–Recharge–Reflect” Method

Here’s a gentle rhythm to guide your winter break so you come back restored—not buried:

💤 Rest = One unplugged activity each day

Nap. Cozy movie. A walk without your phone. Even a no-guilt scroll through TikTok counts if you’re not multitasking. The key is permission to pause.

⚡ Recharge = One thing that lifts your energy

Journal. Play music. Bake. Call a friend. Do something that adds back energy instead of draining it.

🌿 Reflect = One simple prompt

Ask yourself: What do I want more of next year?

This doesn’t have to be a New Year’s resolution. It can be a whisper: more laughter, more boundaries, more mornings that feel calm.

Why This Works

This simple method blends three practices your brain and body actually need:

• Rest for your nervous system. Sleep and downtime reset cortisol (stress hormone) levels, keeping burnout at bay.
• Recharge for your energy. Positive activities release dopamine, which fuels motivation and resilience.
• Reflect for your direction. Reflection activates the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain that helps you plan and choose intentionally, not reactively.

Together, this rhythm helps you slow down without shutting down.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire winter break. You don’t need a 10-step self-care plan.

You just need one choice.

Here’s your reflection for this week:
👉 Pick ONE rest habit you’ll protect this break. Write it down, say it out loud, or share it with a teacher friend. Then actually do it.

Rest is radical. And protecting it isn’t lazy—it’s empowering.