Teacher Summer Break: Permission to Do Absolutely Nothing (A True Summer Break)

Another week into the summer holidays, and the chatter might already be starting.

“Have you done your classroom labels yet?”

“I’m reworking my curriculum map this week.”

“Just popping into school to get a head start.”

But what if you…did none of it?

What if you gave yourself full permission to not plan, not prep, and not produce? Not yet, anyway.

Still resting? Good. Keep going.

You’ve spent an entire year running at full tilt. Late nights, crowded timetables, meetings that should have been emails, moments of magic in-between chaos. You’ve earned more than just a long weekend. You’ve earned some time to yourself.

Teachers often forget that summer rest is part of recovery from a long school year, essential for wellbeing, burnout prevention, and feeling human again.

Even if your mind starts drifting toward September, that doesn’t mean you need to act on it.

Let those thoughts pass like clouds. You’re still in recovery mode — and that matters more than you realise.

Planning and rest aren’t opposites

You don’t have to choose between switching off and caring about your work.

Sometimes, thinking gently ahead while sipping tea in the garden is restful.

Maybe you start jotting down ideas in a notebook, just for yourself. Maybe you think of something that might help next term and let it simmer without acting on it.

This is soft thinking. No pressure. No urgency. Just gentle ideas finding their place.

Gentle, pressure-free thinking is part of how teachers slowly regain their energy during the summer holidays.

And when you’re ready? Dolly will be there to ease you back in.

Dolly was made for this season

No, not just summer — the season between. That soft, hazy space where you’re still unwinding, but not quite ready to jump back in.

Dolly is here to hold the prep for you, quietly, until your feet find the ground again.

When the spark returns, you won’t need to start from scratch. You’ll have a system that respects your pace, your time, and your wellbeing.

Because Dolly isn’t just another edtech tool. It’s a teacher-first system built right here in the UK, designed to support the whole person in front of the classroom.

Do nothing now. We’ll hold your place.

So no, you don’t need to open your laptop just yet.

You don’t need to plan a thing.

This is your time to sit in the sun, take one more nap, be with your loved ones or stare at the ceiling if that’s what your body needs.

Let rest be your only lesson plan for now.

And if a spark does appear? Write it down. Tuck it away. Come find us when you’re ready.

Dolly will be here. Waiting gently

And when the time feels right to ease back in?

Dolly will be here — holding your place, ready when you are.

We’re a teacher-first system built right here in the UK, designed to soften the stress, support your wellbeing, and give you back more time for what matters.

👉 Discover how at godolly.ai, or explore more gentle tips and stories on our Medium blog.