Types of Rest
The summer holidays often feel like the only time educators can finally catch their breath. Teachers, teaching assistants, school admin staff, support teams, senior leaders, headteachers – you all know the pace of term time can be relentless. Rest can be hard to find time for even though we know it is essential to supporting our wellbeing.
Did you know that true rest is more than just collapsing on the sofa or sleeping in? Of course these things do help and it feels great to be able to turn off that early morning alarm clock for a while but true rest is planned.
True rest is deliberate and intentional.
There are seven types of rest, all essential to recharge fully. Building these in can help you build rest into both holidays and your working weeks. They are things which can be as big or as small as you like and the best thing you can do is make them part of your regular routine. It is much better to support your wellbeing proactively than only turn to these strategies when things have gone downhill.
- Physical Rest
This is what we often think of first as we often think of sleep, naps, and downtime however it also includes active rest like stretching or walking. During the summer break, physical rest might look like leisurely mornings or gentle exercise. During term time, a walk at lunch or as part of your commute can really help as can discrete stretches that you can do in your classroom or office. - Mental Rest
Your mind races with lesson plans, meetings, safeguarding concerns, and to-do lists. Mental rest means intentionally stepping away from constant problem-solving. Decision fatigue and concern about the consequences of decision-making are big factors in the recruitment and retention issues affecting education. Mental rest over summer might involve reading for pleasure or enjoying nature without a schedule. During term, deliberately build in brief mental pauses. A quiet moment with a coffee or structured planning time without distractions can give your brain space to breathe. Block time for key tasks and try to build in contingency time too. That may sound idealistic but it can be done – be kind to yourself and hold those boundaries! - Sensory Rest
Schools are sensory minefields: noisy corridors, constant notifications and interruptions, bright lights. Sensory rest reduces overstimulation. The summer holidays offer opportunities to unplug. Turn off devices, leave the laptop at school or put it out of sight, enjoy calm spaces. When term starts again, silencing your phone, setting limits on working and responding to emails and sitting in a quiet classroom before pupils arrive can restore balance. Having bookable slots for staff to come and see you really helps too if you hold a leadership role – it makes a big difference to the number of “can I have a quick word” requests! - Creative Rest
School staff solve problems all day from lesson delivery, behaviour management, responding to parents and finding that lost jumper. Summer might be the ideal time to visit galleries, enjoy music, or experience new environments. Creative rest does not have to mean drawing and art – you may prefer crosswords, jigsaws or sudoku. These can be part of your term time routines too. Remember rest is about being intentional rather than just hitting the pause button. Focusing on something like a puzzle means you cannot be thinking about work so your brain gets a break even though it is still processing information. - Emotional Rest
You support students, colleagues, and families emotionally, often putting your own feelings on hold. Compassion fatigue is a very real issue and as with decision fatigue, contributes to the staffing crisis in schools. Emotional rest means having spaces where you can be authentic, vulnerable, and supported. Finding time to connect socially with colleagues as well as with friends outside education can be refreshing. During term, trusted conversations with colleagues or professional supervision can help lighten the load. Remember your family and pets too – build in protected time to spend together. - Social Rest
Not all social interactions drain you, but many do, especially in a people-focused job like education. Social rest can mean taking some time on your own. It can also mean choosing to spend time with those where your relationship restores rather than depletes you. The summer holiday provides time to reconnect with those who lift your energy and/or to take some time out for yourself. In term time, small moments with positive colleagues can make a big difference as can having connections outside of work. Joining a group of like-minded people e.g. a hobby / interest / activity can be really refreshing. - Spiritual Rest
Feeling connected to a greater purpose brings deep comfort for many people. For some, it’s religious faith whereas for others, time in nature, mindfulness, or community projects provide spiritual rest. With none of the usual pressure of term time, summer allows time for reflection and contemplation. Once September arrives with its demands, priorities and challenges, spiritual rest is vital. Walking your dog to the top of a nearby hill and looking out over the countryside and star gazing can be great ways of experiencing spiritual rest.
Final Thoughts
While summer holidays offer a vital reset, true well-being means weaving these seven types of rest into daily routines. Can you find ways of combining the types of rest and getting two, three or even four in one? Education is demanding and finding ways of supporting and sustaining your wellbeing is not a luxury, it’s a necessity; for you, your family and the school community you serve.
About the Author
Claire Cannon is a SEND and Inclusion specialist, Leadership and Wellbeing Coach and a SEMH and relational approaches practitioner. “I hold a degree in Psychology, am a qualified, professional coach and am a Mental Health First Aider / Senior Mental Health Lead. I am also Chair of Governors at a Primary School giving me a unique perspective on both staff development and whole school improvement.”
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