What is one thing that great teachers do differently? They learn to balance teaching with their lives outside of the classroom. In doing so, they maintain their energy, enthusiasm, and passion for teaching throughout the entire the school year. Here are some tips for balancing your teaching with the rest of your busy life!
1. Avoid working during your lunch breaks.
I know what you’re thinking – and I get it. There are only so many hours in the day and if you don’t put in that extra thirty minutes, how will you ever get it all done!
Here’s the thing: lunch breaks are time that is set aside FOR YOU. Lunch breaks are not meant to be for grading, writing lesson plans, or working with small groups. This is because as HUMANS, we need to reset our brains with a break after a long period of time. If you don’t take advantage of this time, you will feel MUCH more tired at the end of a work day.
2. Join supportive online teaching communities.
There are HUNDREDS of online communities for teachers. They exist for every subject and grade-level, and Facebook is FULL of them. Within these communities, you’ll find tips and tricks for creating lessons, handling behaviors, communicating with parents, etc. Many of these groups also allow you to post anonymously with questions, ideas, and requests for advice.
Having a community of peer teachers, even online, is so helpful. It makes you feel like you are part of a team and can lessen the mental load you feel from school life.
3. Prioritize and schedule down-time outside of teaching.
You need to make time to take care of you! Teachers often find their schedules jam packed in the after school hours with school clubs/sports, family responsibilities, and even other jobs. Make sure that you are leaving enough room in your daily schedule to have at least a little bit of down-time every day. If you can’t find the time – see my next point!
4. Don’t be afraid to say no.
Many teachers, particularly new teachers, are asked to take on an assortment of clubs, sports, music activities, etc. While running a few extra-curricular are a great way to get to strengthen your relationships within the community, you don’t need to say yes EVERY TIME you are asked to go the extra mile. Remember that you are a part of a TEAM of teachers, and you are not the only person capable of making things happen. You need to leave time for YOU too!
5. Get plenty of sleep!
This is probably the MOST IMPORTANT tip for having a positive work-life balance. If you find yourself completely worn-out at the end of every school day, evaluate your sleeping schedule. Are you getting close to 8 hours every night? Is your “bed time” consistent? Do you feel rested in the morning?
If you are too tired to do anything after work, you will probably find teaching to be unsustainable in the long run. That is why this tip in particular is SO critical.
Thanks for reading!
What did you think of these tips? Let me know in the comments!
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