I turned in my grades Monday evening, and spent a good part of yesterday wrapping up the semester and doing some planning for the Spring. So today is really the beginning of my winter break.
I’ve got a lot of projects I’d like to work on over the break, as well as an academic conference to attend. But I also want to spend some quality time relaxing with my family and enjoying the freedom of not having many scheduled commitments. Figuring out the right balance of achievement and relaxation can be a challenge.
So I created the Great Winter Break Workbook: a series of reflective exercises that help you to identify what your true needs and goals are for the upcoming winter break and to design a plan to meet them. Central to my approach is to consider what kinds of action you can take — repeatedly or one time — that will help you feel the way you want to feel in January. Focusing on outcomes (an article, a chapter, an organized garage) often leads us into over-estimating what we can accomplish, because we’re not actually considering how much time and energy will be required for each one. By focusing instead on action, you can be and feel more successful.
As an example: instead of saying I’m going to prepare all my lecture outlines for the new course I’ll be teaching, which would certainly make the spring easier, but would require me to devote more time to teaching prep than I’m willing to do over the break, I’m going to say that I’ll spend five hours each week on preparing that course. That’s a specific, manageable amount of time that I’m willing to commit to. That amount of time will move me forward and should be enough to reduce my stress level at the beginning of the new semester, which is one of my goals.
The workbook is designed to be printed out and it includes space to write in your answers. Of course, you can also write in a separate journal or on your computer. You’ll want to set aside a block of time, probably about 45-60 minutes to work through the questions. You could also divide up your time with the workbook into several shorter sessions.
What do you want to focus on during your winter break?