Summer Habits That Stick: How Small Routines Lead to Big Changes

As educators, summer often feels like a sacred pause—a chance to catch our breath after a year of managing lesson plans, student needs, and endless to-do lists. But what if this summer could be more than just a break? What if it could be a starting point?

In this episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher invites listeners to rethink their summer downtime—not as an off-season, but as an opportunity to build meaningful routines and rhythms. With warmth and transparency, Beth shares how chaotic her early teaching career was—filled with long hours, sleepless nights, and a complete lack of systems. The shift came when she embraced one truth: habits shape everything.

Drawing from James Clear’s Atomic Habits, Beth reminds us that goals mean little without supportive systems. The key isn’t doing more—it’s doing better by designing routines that work for your life. From Sunday meal planning to structured morning rituals, these habits don’t need to be massive to be meaningful.

Why now? Because summer offers the time and mental clarity to experiment and reset. Implementing small, manageable routines now ensures they’re second nature by the time the new school year begins. Whether it’s prepping breakfast the night before or committing to a 10-minute daily walk, every small step builds consistency—and consistency builds transformation.

The episode also touches on the emotional side of habits. Often, we keep appointments with others but cancel on ourselves. Beth challenges that mindset, encouraging teachers to honor their own commitments as much as they would with colleagues or students.

Backed by science—like Northwestern Medicine’s research on how routines reduce anxiety—this episode doesn’t just preach; it provides practical strategies. Plus, listeners get a preview of upcoming episodes covering mindset, health, and classroom strategies to round out the summer series.

For teachers ready to reset, now’s the time. Beth offers a supportive hand through her Empowered Educator Facebook group, complete with accountability tools like bingo boards and giveaways.

So whether you’re sipping coffee on a slow morning or taking a walk with your earbuds in, this episode is your invitation to reset your rhythm, rediscover your energy, and step into the school year with confidence and calm.

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We all know that teaching isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be this hard. Equipping ELLs is a podcast for both ESL specialists and homeroom teachers who are looking for effective and engaging ways to support their English Language Learners without adding to their endless to-do list. Tune in each week to hear tips, strategies, and inspirational stories that will empower you to better reach your ELL students, equip them with life-long skills, and strengthen relationships with colleagues and parents.

Your host, Beth Vaucher, is the founder of Inspiring Young Learners. She is an ESL certified homeroom teacher with over 10 years of experience teaching in the US and internationally. Her background of M.Ed in ESL and Curriculum and Instruction combined with her experience has led her to develop a bestselling newcomer curriculum that has sold in over 90 countries around the globe. She brings a different perspective to teaching ELLs from her years teaching and living abroad and working with ELLs from around the world. You will walk away from each episode with the ideas and tools you need to transform your experience as a teacher and cultivate a thriving and welcoming environment for your ELL students.