Balancing Teaching & Life

Image courtesy of Kittisak at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many years back, I decided teaching would be a good career choice for me; I cared a lot about people, I had a lot of knowledge to share from my studies/ experiences, and I wanted to do that cliche thing that actually really matters, "Make a Difference". I heard of the struggles of teachers but actually going through it yourself really makes things clear.

Yes, I did spend my own money but that doesn't hurt that much...not when it contributes to a more productive classroom. What takes a toll are the extra daily hours spent at work, plus the unbilled personal student therapy hours, and the worrying or general frustration that comes with the responsibility of leading youth.

So, over the past year, I have battled and struggled to find a balance between my career, which I love and my personal life which I love too. Here is a list of tips that I developed over time in order to keep this balance.

1. Never forget you are your #1 priority

If you aren't together than other things that matter wont be. i.e. your family, friends, relationships, and overall health will suffer. You have to take care of you. People forget this because the way life pulls you in different directions but don't ever forget about yourself in the process. 

2. Don't overload

There may be pressure to sponsor multiple organizations at your school whether it is from the students or your administration. Choose one or two things that matter most to you. One should take up a moderate amount of time and the other should be minimal. For example, a sport that is seasonal and not year round and an organization that meets bi-weekly or once a month. Everything does not necessarily work like this, so you have to really use your best judgement with this. Just be honest with yourself when saying Yes! Remember you are already doing a time consuming super hero like job!

3. Use a calendar

I have a work calendar and a personal calendar. I commit two days a week to stay a little later to make copies in advance or get extra grading and planning done. Also, I keep all my meetings written in my work calendar along with days students are planning to stay for extra help. I keep office hours so this is usually much easier for students, parents and myself to plan ahead when it comes to tutorial.

4. Schedule Time for Workouts or Active Activities

I choose mornings because by the end of the day I am full of excuses as to why I can't make it to the gym. I suggest making sure you pick a workout that you can enjoy whether it is Pilates, listening to music on the elliptical or a group fitness class like Zumba or Bootcamp, just do something! Commit to a time, remember that every bit counts, and stay consistent. Think of it like eating...you have to do it and you always feel better when you are done!

5. Meal Prep

Pick a grocery shopping day and a meal prep day. Get your family involved in helping you prepare meals if you can. This is the best way to create meals that fit everyone's needs. Be sure not to neglect yours in the process and make sure others in your household are compromising! Preparing meals saves you time during the week and it keeps you from eating junk! I'll share some of my favorite meal prep routines soon. I like to go for the one pot dishes because they are easy!

6. Limit Bringing Work Home

There are few things that I bring home to grade. For example, research papers may require additional time, so I'll grade 5-10 a week depending on my load. I do most of my grading as students submit work or sometimes if it is a practice grade I will have them grade themselves. Additionally, it is important to plan your lessons so that you have down time to get in grading as necessary.

7. Go to bed!

Its simple, get your rest. Those days of not getting enough rest will eventually catch up to you mentally and physically. Look forward to your sleep and come up with a nightly routine to help you wind down. For example, I like to floss, wash my face, stretch and meditate. This all takes less than 30 minutes. 

These tips are all things that work for me and I hope can work for others. Feel free to take them and tweak them and remember that organization is one of the biggest components to keeping balance. Of course things won't change over night, but definitely make your goal to have balance! Try facing one new challenge at a time and you will start to see a difference.

Let me know what you think about my post and please share your ideas!

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