{"id":13686,"date":"2022-06-17T12:56:39","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T16:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/?p=13686"},"modified":"2025-05-21T13:25:51","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T17:25:51","slug":"how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We tell teachers and students to log off, go outside, and get some much-needed fresh air during the summer\u2014but when was the last time you took your own advice? We get it, it can be difficult. Staying on top of emails is important, but not at the cost of family time, recreation, and even your own mental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you find yourself catching a quick look at your phone at the beach or sneaking a peek at emails during dinner, you likely need a break. You probably know this, but the question is, how do you <\/span>truly<\/span><\/i> disconnect?<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t guilt yourself over taking a break<\/b><\/h4>\n

It\u2019s important to understand that you deserve a break. As a district leader, you have a lot on your shoulders. It\u2019s easy to think you must constantly be plugged in and logged on to do your job well, but evidence to the contrary is overwhelming. According to the <\/span>Harvard Business Bureau<\/span><\/a>, taking time off increases productivity, lowers stress, and improves your mental health. What\u2019s more, \u201cResearch shows that those who take more than 10 days of vacation are <\/span>30% more likely<\/span><\/a> to receive a raise, and those who take regular vacations have <\/span>greater job satisfaction<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though, if you\u2019re not in the office daily like you are during the school year, the lines between work and home life can get blurry. This makes it harder to truly disconnect, especially since checking emails here and there after hours doesn\u2019t always feel like work. You might trick yourself into thinking you\u2019re taking time off, leaving you wondering why your break didn\u2019t rejuvenate you like you hoped it would. That\u2019s why disconnecting\u2013<\/span>really disconnecting<\/span><\/i>\u2013is so important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Set a hard work schedule<\/b><\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t bring work home with you. If you\u2019re working from home, keep your work within your designated schedule. Yes, sometimes last-minute things come up that you must handle immediately, but once it\u2019s dealt with, log off, turn off your notifications, and enjoy your evening. That is <\/span>your time. <\/span><\/i>Any emails you receive after hours can wait until morning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Leave your devices at home<\/b><\/h4>\n

Did you know <\/span>half of Americans work on vacation<\/span><\/a>? Don\u2019t be one of them, don\u2019t even give yourself the option. When you\u2019re on your summer getaway, leave the work laptop at home. Even go so far as to delete all the work-related apps from your phone. We know the urge to check in with your colleagues is strong, but they\u2019ve got it handled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Give your coworkers your personal phone number<\/b><\/h4>\n

This might sound counterintuitive, but it\u2019ll ease your mind when you notice you aren\u2019t getting calls and texts about work every five minutes. When you have that line of communication open and it\u2019s not being used, it\u2019s because your coworkers don\u2019t have to use it. This is a quick and easy way to give yourself peace of mind while you\u2019re away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you must, give yourself designated times to check your email<\/b><\/h4>\n

Maybe you have different circumstances and you\u2019d feel more comfortable reaching out sometimes, like making sure a new coworker is adjusting well while you\u2019re gone, or asking for a quick progress report on a big project. If that\u2019s the case, give yourself designated times throughout the day to check, and only give yourself a few minutes with each check-in. Set a timer. Don\u2019t let it take over your afternoon while on vacation!<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, work is only part of the equation. We spend a good chunk of our personal time on our devices. To cut down further on phone dependency, here are a few more tips:<\/span><\/p>\n

Turn off your phone when you go out<\/b><\/h4>\n

Or even better, leave it in the car entirely. If you have kids that may need to reach you in an emergency, give them the phone number of whomever you\u2019ll be with so they can still reach you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t post to social media immediately<\/b><\/h4>\n

We get it, the sunset looks absolutely gorgeous and you want everyone to be able to enjoy it too. Get your pictures, then put your phone away and enjoy the moment. It\u2019ll pass you by if you spend so long thinking up the perfect caption!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Establish \u201cold school\u201d habits of reflection<\/b><\/h4>\n

Nowadays we tend to use our social media profiles as diaries. We keep everyone updated on our lives and recap our vacation days publicly, and in turn, our reflections can feel like a performance\u2013 especially as likes and comments come flooding in. Writing down your honest thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a private journal has so many benefits for your mental health, and it\u2019s a space where you can truly be yourself without an audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Turn off notifications and utilize Do Not Disturb<\/b><\/h4>\n

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook\u2026those little dings give us a hit of dopamine we become dependent on. Turn off the apps\u2019 ability to access you at all times by deactivating notifications. You\u2019ll be thankful you\u2019re not getting so distracted whenever you hear that little sound!<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, most smartphones have a Do Not Disturb setting where you can mute all notifications for a specific period of time (or indefinitely!). Even an hour a day with your phone silenced can help improve your mood.<\/p>\n

Charge your devices in a different room<\/b><\/h4>\n

Bonus points if it\u2019s a room you don\u2019t frequent. This goes double for your bedroom to fight that \u201ccheck Facebook like it\u2019s the morning paper\u201d urge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be wise with your screen time<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Getting together with loved ones for in-person quality time isn’t always possible. When cutting down on screen time, it’s important to make sure you’re getting the most out of the time you do have to curb those cravings. FaceTime a friend you haven’t seen in a while, call a long-distance family member, scroll through the page of someone you miss. It will feel so much better than mindless scrolling on any app!<\/p>\n

Delete your social media apps<\/b><\/h4>\n

If you want a thorough detox while on vacation, get rid of all your social media apps. You can\u2019t be tempted to scroll through Instagram if you can\u2019t access it!<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Say goodbye to summertime stress<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":15319,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4208,4213],"tags":[1051],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation - TeacherLists Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tips and tricks for school district leaders to disconnect from their phones during summer break and get the rest they deserve\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tips and tricks for school district leaders to disconnect from their phones during summer break and get the rest they deserve\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TeacherLists Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/teacherlists\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-06-17T16:56:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-21T17:25:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0622-districts-way-to-disconnect-fullsize.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"406\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"236\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"jward\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@teacherlists\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"jward\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"jward\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4097c1b621e14b8c61ffad9eb55a15ee\"},\"headline\":\"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-06-17T16:56:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-21T17:25:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/\"},\"wordCount\":1063,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"School Districts\"],\"articleSection\":[\"District & School Leaders\",\"Trending Topics for Districts\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2022\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/\",\"name\":\"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation - TeacherLists Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-06-17T16:56:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-21T17:25:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"Tips and tricks for school district leaders to disconnect from their phones during summer break and get the rest they deserve\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"TeacherLists Blog\",\"description\":\"The School Supply List Solution\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"TeacherLists\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TL_logo_250x144.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TL_logo_250x144.png\",\"width\":250,\"height\":144,\"caption\":\"TeacherLists\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/teacherlists\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/showcase\/33288341\/admin\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/teacherlists\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeS_Xas-Uq5i_-RqFnSEfag\/videos\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/teacherlists\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/teacherlists\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4097c1b621e14b8c61ffad9eb55a15ee\",\"name\":\"jward\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/02b4b21835f4d139405d2c45b1238001?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/02b4b21835f4d139405d2c45b1238001?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"jward\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/admin\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/author\/jward\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation - TeacherLists Blog","description":"Tips and tricks for school district leaders to disconnect from their phones during summer break and get the rest they deserve","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation","og_description":"Tips and tricks for school district leaders to disconnect from their phones during summer break and get the rest they deserve","og_url":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/","og_site_name":"TeacherLists Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/teacherlists\/","article_published_time":"2022-06-17T16:56:39+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-05-21T17:25:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":406,"height":236,"url":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0622-districts-way-to-disconnect-fullsize.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"jward","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@admin","twitter_site":"@teacherlists","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"jward","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/"},"author":{"name":"jward","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4097c1b621e14b8c61ffad9eb55a15ee"},"headline":"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation","datePublished":"2022-06-17T16:56:39+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-21T17:25:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/"},"wordCount":1063,"commentCount":1,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization"},"keywords":["School Districts"],"articleSection":["District & School Leaders","Trending Topics for Districts"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2022","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/","url":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/","name":"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation - TeacherLists Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-06-17T16:56:39+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-21T17:25:51+00:00","description":"Tips and tricks for school district leaders to disconnect from their phones during summer break and get the rest they deserve","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/how-to-truly-disconnect-for-summer-vacation\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Truly Disconnect While on Vacation"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/","name":"TeacherLists Blog","description":"The School Supply List Solution","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"TeacherLists","url":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TL_logo_250x144.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TL_logo_250x144.png","width":250,"height":144,"caption":"TeacherLists"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/teacherlists\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/showcase\/33288341\/admin\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/teacherlists\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeS_Xas-Uq5i_-RqFnSEfag\/videos","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/teacherlists\/","https:\/\/twitter.com\/teacherlists"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4097c1b621e14b8c61ffad9eb55a15ee","name":"jward","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/02b4b21835f4d139405d2c45b1238001?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/02b4b21835f4d139405d2c45b1238001?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"jward"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/admin"],"url":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/author\/jward\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13686"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13686"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18470,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13686\/revisions\/18470"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}