Teachers Need Annual Christmas Break to Maintain Their Psychological Health, Says Academic Study
If you’re a teacher feeling grateful for the upcoming two-week holiday, then it seems there’s a sound psychological reason for that – and also a strong case for making the most of it while you can. A study by researchers at City University London has found that Christmas breaks can play a vital role in […]
If you’re a teacher feeling grateful for the upcoming two-week holiday, then it seems there’s a sound psychological reason for that – and also a strong case for making the most of it while you can.
A study by researchers at City University London has found that Christmas breaks can play a vital role in helping teachers to replenish their reserves of energy and psychological health, therefore lessening the likelihood burnout and exhaustion.
Working alongside the Education Support Partnership (formerly the Teacher Support Network), the team asked 90 school teachers across the UK to complete two surveys at the end of an eight-week period spanning the time before, during and after the two-week Christmas break.
The study found that teachers who reported feeling worried and inclined to ruminate about work during their Christmas break were less likely to recover fully from the demands made of them during term time.
The researchers further found that teachers who were able to satisfy three ‘basic psychological needs’ – competence, autonomy and a sense of closeness and connection to others – over Christmas demonstrated far higher levels of psychological health that continued well into January.
Based on the results, the researchers have recommended that teachers make use of their time during the Christmas break by engaging in activities that provide feelings of autonomy, effectiveness and connectedness to loved ones. The team also highlighted the benefits of mindfulness training for teachers, for the way in which it can help individuals ‘disentangle’ themselves from persistent worries.
City University senior lecturer organisational psychology, Dr Paul Flaxman – who co-led the study with PhD student Sonja Carmichael, said of the findings, “Our work shows that breaks for teachers, especially at times like half-term and Christmas, are incredibly important for their psychological health. Ensuring that teachers have regular opportunities to recover from the considerable demands of the job will help to prevent burnout. In my opinion, it is vital that these regular breaks in the school calendar are conserved.
“If you are someone who tends to worry or ruminate about things, we would recommend mindfulness training. This type of training helps to ensure we do not get too ‘caught up’ in unhelpful cycles of negative thinking, and thereby improves our well-being and quality of life. The Mental Health Foundation’s website is a good place to find local mindfulness groups, or to experience an online version of a typical mindfulness-based training programme.”
