# Well-being at Christmas: Rest Without the Guilt

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/helping-teachers-thrive-6305601/well-being-at-christmas-rest-without-the-guilt
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/helping-teachers-thrive-6305601/well-being-at-christmas-rest-without-the-guilt.md
Podcast: [Helping Teachers Thrive](https://stenobird.com/podcast/helping-teachers-thrive-6305601)
Published: 2025-12-24T00:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/tem-s-teaching-tips/episodes/694ab5dccb029db7571e5d9c
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/642a979e13df9d0011c0d667/e/694ab5dccb029db7571e5d9c/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/helping-teachers-thrive-6305601/episodes/well-being-at-christmas-rest-without-the-guilt
Duration seconds: 293

## Resource

DESCRIPTION: In this episode of Helping Teachers Thrive , Tem speaks honestly about teacher well-being at Christmas, the guilt that often follows the end of term, and why rest is not something teachers need to earn. This episode is for teachers who are struggling to switch off, feeling pressure to plan, mark, or “get ahead”, and wondering why they still feel drained after such a long and demanding autumn term. Tem explores why teacher exhaustion is so common, how prolonged stress affects the nervous system, and what well-being can realistically look like during the Christmas break. This episode will help you pause, reset, and approach January feeling calmer, more grounded, and ready to thrive without guilt. If you would like to enquire about trauma-informed training, please contact Tem at tem@helpingteachersthrive.com or book a call: https://calendly.com/tem-helpingteachersthrive/60 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Go to The Helping Teachers Thrive Hub  to unlock exclusive content, strengthen your skills and access resources to help level up and thrive in your teaching profession for the price of a coffee! Teacher exhaustion at Christmas is normal after a long and demanding autumn term. Rest is not a reward, teachers do not need to earn their recovery time. Teacher well-being does not need to be productive or impressive to be effective. Difficulty switching off is often a sign of prolonged stress, not poor self-care. Returning in January as a rested teacher matters more than returning as a “better” one. BEST MOMENTS: “You do not need to earn your rest. Rest is not a reward for finishing everything on our to-do list.” “Sometimes well-being is just about doing very little and letting that be enough.” “If you’re finding it hard to switch off, that doesn’t mean you’re failing...it mean…

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## Transcript

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