Former UK Education Secretary, Estelle Morris, said: “A tired teacher is not an effective teacher. Nor is that teacher allowed to focus on what is most important – teaching.”

When you say this out loud, it sounds really bizarre. The fact that a teacher is expected to do so many extraneous things outside of their primary role- teaching! The sad thing is that these ‘extra’ duties detract from the primary purpose of educating young people. Teachers suffer, and in turn the students suffer.

Your wellbeing is paramount. If you aren’t healthy and strong, neither will your teaching be. Your ability to teach is predicated on your own sense of wellness. Stressed out and overwhelmed teachers only make stressed out and overwhelmed classrooms.

As educators wind-down for the summer break, I ask you to consider how you will manage your wellbeing when you return to work.

Here are some things to focus on to get you started:

• Maintain a routine of physical activity
• Schedule your time, both in and out of work
• Learn to say no

Have a restful summer break.