One of the focuses of this blog is to remind teachers to be their best selves. That means spending time with family, getting exercise, putting away the papers for a night, doing something special, or any number of activities. It doesn't mean that we should stop working hard at our jobs. Most teachers love students too much to do that, but it does mean that teachers need to work smarter. It is important to have a life outside of work. Students rely on teachers as role models, and they are not their best when they are exhausted.
I remember my first few years teaching. I used to stay up late every night and wake up extra early every morning. I had piles of work every weekend. I was drained. Over the years, I have not lost the passion for my students, and I still love my job. That being said, I am not nearly as exhausted as I used to be. I am so much more efficient than I used to be. I make smarter choices that help me manage my time and focus on what is really important. I still remind myself daily to take time for me.
I read a beautiful article called "7 Things Every Teacher Should Do Before 7 a.m." It was a wonderful reminder of how to plan smartly to make the day go smoother. I highly suggest that it be your weekend homework. It has certainly left me with ideas to consider.
1. I am going to make my decisions the night before school.
2. I am going to take time to be physically active (I do a decent job at this, but I could do better).
3. I am going to tackle my hardest tasks first. That means that tomorrow I will be grading my writing prompts. I have already done more than half, but I have been putting it off. Tomorrow, they will be my first priority. No more fear.
I highly suggest that you give this article a read. I am going to use the advice to my benefit.
I really appreciate this post. Good words on setting priorities and making time for yourself!
ReplyDeleteIt is so important!
DeleteI really enjoyed this post and related to it. I read the article and was pleased that I find I am doing most of the 7 things listed most of the time. In reality, that is probably the best anyone can do. Avoiding the flinch is the biggest thing for me. I don't often get lost in visiting with colleagues(truthfully, I should probably do this more for peace of mind and collegiality) or viewing social media, but I do tend to go straight to writing emails and avoid correcting. Then it piles up and I feel so overwhelmed and very much like a bad teacher who isn't giving enough feedback. I'm trying to stay more on top of this for the 2019-2020 school year. It's my first goal for improvement. Thanks for sharing this.
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