27th January 2020

How teachers can make the most of their half term holidays

Aside from the sleep, eat, repeat cycle that many teachers find themselves in during half term, people who work in a school can find it difficult to make sure they’re extracting maximum enjoyment out of their half term holidays. At Engage, we’re here to help you make the most of this all too short week-long break, as we understand how important it is to feel refreshed physically and mentally when you return for the rest of the term.

Go on holiday

We live and work on the doorstep of dozens of bucket-list destinations. Whether you’re a continental city-hopping tourist, or want to chuck on your wellies and go exploring, there are no shortage of options for you (and your family) to take a minibreak this half term. If you’re a teacher with Engage Education, you’ll be able to benefit from our exclusive partnership with STA Travel, which qualifies you for money off travel, insurance and shopping.

Spend quality time with friends and family

You’ll often be too tired during term-time to catch up with your non-teaching friends in the evenings or even at weekends, and time with your family can be reduced to an hour or less every night before you fall asleep on the sofa. Spending time with those close to you can help you feel like you crammed more into your week off than if you spend time browsing the internet or absent-mindedly watching TV, and will also have a better impact on your mental health!

Remember your passions

Whatever your role is in a school, the hustle and bustle of school life can make you feel like you have lost some of the other parts of yourself that aren’t related to working in an educational institution. Use your week to revisit your passions outside of teaching, or try something new altogether. Don’t feel guilty for putting effort into endeavours that aren’t teaching related – having other interests and taking part in other activities will go a long way towards preventing teacher burnout.

So if you want to reignite your love of playing football, or fancy picking up a new cooking book and trying your hand at a new dish, use your half term break to dedicate some time to your other passions.

Speak to Education Support

If you find you’re struggling during the holidays, our partners at the Education Support Partnership are on hand throughout the holidays to assist. From short-term financial aid to counselling, advice, or just a friendly chat, the Education Support Partnership was created to help teachers when they need it. (Just call them at 08000 562 561.)

If you’re a teacher with Engage, you can benefit from the full Employee Assistance Programme, which includes up to six sessions of face-to-face telephone counselling, access to online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), financial and legal information, and more.

You can find out more on the Education Support Partnership’s website. If you’d like more information on how we support our teachers throughout their career, check out the Employee Assistance Programme and all our other benefits.