What teacher wellbeing lessons can you learn from advent?
Whether you are a Christmas Elf or a Scrooge, there is no denying that the festive season is finally upon us!
It is now completely legitimate to stick on Wham!, deck the halls and begin wishing anyone and everyone a Merry Christmas.
(Is it obvious yet that I am, in fact, a Christmas Elf?)
This can often feel like a complex time for teachers. Society is getting into the festive season. If you are a primary teacher, you are probably already ready for the festive season to be over with the weekly onslaught of Nativity planning. If you are in secondary, you are being encouraged to “teach until the end” with the temptation to stick on Christmas films all too strong.
Yet, there is also the pressure to keep on working through the dark days, the cold weather and also get yourself ready for the festivities.
It can just feel like another plate that you have to spin.
Yet, as we begin to count down to the merry day, there are learnings that advent can bring us. Ones that can give us perspective and learning when it comes to your vital teacher wellbeing.
1. Are you counting down the days?
Teachers are often guilty of counting down the hours, days or even weeks to the next half term break. As a result, you can often risk counting away your life as you wait expectedly for another break in the school term.
There is symmetry to this in the fact that advent is counting down to Christmas Day.
Yet, this doesn’t feel like a negative spiral towards Christmas. In fact, it can heighten our appreciation of the little things in life, like receiving a daily chocolate treat from our advent calendars, or the twinkling lights of the Christmas decorations on our drive home or the smell of the Christmas tree as you enter your house.
So, find opportunities to pause and appreciate the little things in life. There are numerous ones around you. When you notice these, you’ll find that your days are not a run down to the finishing line of a half term break but rather a collection of wonderful appreciations.
2. Go on, treat yourself, daily
For many of us, advent is most noticeable in the arrival of an advent calendar in our houses.
Now, I know many are chocolate centred (and I can see why!)
Personally, I love the traditional picture ones. And a chocolate alongside them.
Yet crucially, this tradition demonstrates the joy of the small treats.
It shows us that looking forward to little things can amount to something great.
Not only that, but you are also worthy of treats and little bits of goodness in your life.
So, take a leaf out of your advent calendar (not that I have ever seen a leaf-themed advent calendar) and find opportunities to treat yourself and bring joy into your days.
There’s plenty of ways to do this that do not need to involve food such as, singing along to the radio on your drive to school, enjoying a quiet moment of silence after your class leaves before you begin packing away for the day or even going for a walk in nature.
Find your ideal treats and love yourself accordingly.
3. Advent reminds us of what matters most
Ultimately, advent is a countdown to spending time with the people who matter most in our lives: our friends and family.
Christmas may have taken on a completely materialistic identity but it still boils down to giving, receiving and being with the ones who care about us the most.
At Christmas, it’s kind of obvious. Yet during the rest of the year, you may have a habit of postponing time with family and friends until the school term ends.
This isn’t how you’re meant to live.
There needs to be a blend that empowers you to thrive in your school work and your life beyond teaching. It does not need to be an either or.
Even Scrooge got this when he said, “”I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
You can do the same.
No matter your outlook on Christmas, whether you are a Bah Humbug or other, advent shows us what it is to appreciate the little things and find joy in the every day. Take a moment right now, before you click off this article, to consider three little things today that brought a smile to your face. Hold onto them. They are your treasure.
Gemma Drinkall is an Educational Wellbeing Coach, helping middle leaders in education to create clear boundaries so that they can love teaching, and their lives, again.
Want to get in touch? Book a free, no obligation virtual coffee chat here: calendly.com/headsphere/bookacallwithgemma
