Although some of you may have finished term already, we have one more week to go at MMU but the end is in sight. A collective sigh of relief echoes round the corridors of our building as we look forward to a 3 week break over Christmas. So, what should academics be getting up to over the holiday period?
I am not sure if it is just me, but I have to really push myself to keep motivated during the last few weeks of term. This is due to tiredness rather than lack of enthusiasm; I love my job as much as ever, but 12 weeks of term going at full pelt does take it out of you. Many academics I know do work themselves very hard and feel very tired towards the end of term. It’s important not to overdo it and make yourself ill.
So, one answer to the question I posed above is to have a rest. If you have scheduled an incredibly hectic Christmas holiday, then perhaps you need to put a few days aside just to put your feet up and forget the stresses of the term. If you don’t recharge your batteries now, then next term will be a struggle before it even starts.
Christmas break is a good time to assess how the term has gone in terms of your teaching and student performance. You are now well established in your teaching groups. Does your teaching approach and style need any tweaking to suit the learning style of a particular cohort?
And finally research…although many libraries and archives are closed over the Christmas period this is still a time when you can get some research done. Perhaps a short paper that has been waiting all term to be written?
So, even though this will be my last blog before Christmas, I certainly won’t be idle! Have a lovely holiday everyone and hope to see you back here in the New Year!
