Summer Recharge: Overcoming Teacher Burnout and Reenergizing for Success

What is the #1 thing you’re looking forward to in the summer? Is it the freedom from schedules, the ability to use the bathroom whenever you want, the relief from preparing lesson plans, or perhaps all of the above? Have you heard about the Summer Band-Aid Effect?

I feel you. I love every aspect of summer too, but I’ve also experienced how quickly it can slip away, leaving me without the relaxation and rejuvenation I had hoped for.

That’s why I’m beyond excited for you to tune in to episode 36 of Growing with Proficiency – The Podcast featuring Becca Silver, an exceptional instructional coach and the founder of The Whole Educator.

She and I dive deep into the “band-aid effect” of summer, where we mistakenly believe that just because we’re in the summer, we’ll automatically get the rest we need. Becca will reveal why that’s not true and guide us through seven transformative strategies to make a real difference.

In our discussion, it’s not about strategies or ideas for our students; it’s about prioritizing ourselves. This episode puts the spotlight on you. This summer, we put ourselves first. Now, here are a few highlights from episode 36.

Summer Band-Aid Effect

Becaa described the summer band-aid effect as a concept that explains how educators have different seasons they go through during the year. She continues to explain that teachers are very fresh faced at the beginning around August and September. We have these newly decorated and refreshed classrooms.

Then, we go through these months until December, and we kind of fall apart. Next, we go into December break and the holidays where we come back and think that we can hang on until spring break. After spring break, boom, testing.

Becca then explained that the summer band-aid effect is a concept of you taking the time off from working but not actually intentionally recharging yourself. You also don’t do the things that actually increase your well-being so that you are fully recharged for the beginning of the school year.

Pleasure and Happiness

You see, it’s almost like a pause button. As Becca explained, it’s a, “I’m pausing my stress and my frustration.” What happens is that whenever you’re feeling those unpleasant feelings, you just press pause; you feel good. However, there’s a distinction between pleasure and happiness. Knowing this can make a huge difference in how you feel at the end of your summer break. Listen to episode 36 to hear more about these differences.

Stress Cycle Strategies

Next in our discussion, Becca shared a great book that helped her understand the difference between pleasure and happiness, The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. In the episode, Becca talked about how the authors explained that stress is not a linear experience. As I also learned, there are meaningful restorative things that you can do this summer to help you break the stress cycle. 

Avoiding the Summer Band-Aid Effect

Becca shared the seven things that the authors suggested and that she feels will help you avoid the Summer Band-Aid Effect. 

• Rigorous physical activity
• Take deep, slow breaths
• Have meaningful social interactions
• Laugh
• Engage in expressions of affection
• Have a big old cry
• Have gratitude

Some of these may seem simple, but they have a large effect on the way you feel. Join Becca and I as we dive deeper into these seven restorative things that you can do this summer to avoid the Summer Band-Aid Effect. 

Hit play above, listen on your favorite podcast player, or listen here and learn how to give yourself the importance and care you truly deserve. This will empower you to transform your summer and emerge with a renewed sense of well-being.

Becca Silver

More about Becca Silver: Becca Silver is the founder and CEO of The Whole Educator. She is a highly energetic and knowledgeable trainer who approaches leadership development with transformational coaching skills and strategies.

Becca is a former educator, instructional coach, life coach and performance coach. Her training programs and customized one-on-one coaching work focuses on fostering teacher buy-in and removing barriers caused by resistance to change. She has worked with instructional coaches and school leaders in districts across the US, including FL, KY, NC, SC and MA.

Becca believes that, when looking to improve teachers’ effectiveness, adult mindsets and motivations matter. We need teachers educating the whole child. And we need leaders and coaches impacting the whole educator.

As always, you can find all of the episodes for Growing with Proficiency – The Podcast here.