Teachers, you are probably running on fumes. It has been a very challenging year and one that has taken a toll on your physical, emotional and mental health. Of course, you might not consciously be aware of it because your brain and body are still in “go” mode – and when you are moving full steam ahead, you don’t always see what’s happening underneath your hood.

For the past six weeks I have spent about five hours per day taping sessions for a new course I will be rolling out soon. And when not recording, my brain has been “on” 24-7 trying to make everything perfect. Though I was reminded how exhausting obsessiveness can be, I survived and turned in all the recorded content. Whew!

Unfortunately, as the dust settled this past week, I recognized a familiar disturbing sensation in my throat. I think I’m fighting off a small vocal polyp trying to develop (again.) Fortunately, I have a great deal of rest time before my busy speaking schedule in August. But the lesson is clear: If we don’t take time to rest and heal, one way or another, we will break down.

Teachers, you have spent an entire year filling your students’ tanks; you now need to replenish your own. Give yourself permission to step away from the nonstop-runaway-train-work-schedule you’ve been keeping and rest. You don’t need to move straight from the closing of this school year into the opening of the next.

I’ve decided that rather than just posting my new course online, I’ll work with participants August through May helping them roll out the content so I can provide continual implementation support and encouragement. This is an important note because if I want to give my “students” my all when “class” starts in August, I need to give myself time to rest and heal now. I strongly suggest you do the same.