Relax, take it easy ;)

Aloha!

First of all, let me give you a quick spoiler alert: this post won't be about work. 

The last few months have been crazy for our teaching community. Some of us have sweat more than ever trying to make remote teaching work, while others have lost their students and classes due to the pandemic. In any case, it's been an emotional roller-coaster for all of us.

It's summer now, a lot of us can enjoy a well-deserved break and take care of ourselves. Nobody knows what the future holds so it's important to charge batteries before we get back to work and tackle new challenges. I know it's not easy to switch off and stop thinking about work, but  I strongly believe that a happy, relaxed teacher is a good teacher. For this reason, I wanted to share my ways to unwind. Perhaps some of you will enjoy them, too :)



Apart from reading books and binging on Netflix (I'm now watching Mindhunter, which I highly recommend), I love listening to podcasts. Here are some of my favourite podcasts:

BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour
Serial Podcast - especially season 1!
Stitcher - various podcasts - I really enjoyed This sounds serious


I've also become fond of colouring! It's a simple activity but has
proven to be very calming and relaxing. It helps me focus on something else than work and disconnect. Amazon offers a variety of fun colouring books for adults- check them out.




I'm sure I've already mentioned this in another post, but can't express my gratitude for FutureLearn - their free online courses are the bomb! If you want to spend your time in a more productive way, then I'm sure you'll enjoy learning something new through their professional courses.


Speaking of productive activities, exercise is definitely one of them. Sadly, I'm not a very sporty person but I've found Yoga with Adriene  fantastic- her 30 day yoga challenge hooked me on yoga and regular stretching. I also love long walks - they work like a therapy for me. Because of the lockdown and restrictions, I have discovered some truly charming and picturesque places in my neighbourhood. Go and explore your area, you won't regret it :)

After a good exercise, you surely deserve a slice of a delicious cake. Baking is another activity I find therapeutic and I try to bake something at least once a week. I never have time so I normally go for quick and easy recipes. Here are some recipes that always work for me:

The easiest banana bread ever
Basque cheesecake
The best apple crumble
Lemon-poppyseed cake
Basic muffins

How do you unwind? What helps you switch off? Remember, sharing is caring so comment with your tricks :) 

     Take care of yourself and stay safe!