The Pace of September
It’s here…the gear up to the start of school! You might be feeling a range of emotions from excitement - greeting new students, a fresh start, a return to routine - to sadness - seeing the summer draw to a close and a different pace of life - to any of the varying emotions in between. New teachers’ attitudes towards teaching have been well documented, but many seasoned educators face similar phases:
One of the best ways to protect yourself against the weariness or disillusionment in late fall/early winter is to take a good hard look at yourself and your practices in September. Ask yourself, “Is the pace at which I am currently working sustainable all year?” If your answer is no, consider examining your work pace in order to prevent future burnout. We know…easier said than done! There seem to be so many tasks getting a new year up and running. However, some of these tasks are self-imposed and as much as we think we have to accomplish this, that, and the other thing, the bottom line is that our students are much better cared for and educated when their teachers are at their best.
One strategy you might try if your pace is a bit much right now (!) is to make a list of EVERYTHING you want to accomplish. Just do a braindump
Then, prioritize this list. You might first sort the tasks into what your district requires, what you need to start the year feeling ready, and what tasks could be done at a later date. Once categories have been established, it’s easier to make a prioritized list.
Your next step is to assign a time limit to your prioritized list. Be realistic.
Once the time frame or limits are established, you can schedule each task into your working day. You probably will find that there are more tasks than you have hours assigned to your work day. Keep whittling down that list as you accomplish tasks and evaluate your time vs. what is left on your list. Remember, saying yes to work tasks outside of your work day translates into saying no to something that is important to you outside of work, such as food prep, exercise, time with friends, family, and pets, or a cup of tea at night. An added bonus to creating this prioritized list with assigned times is that you will have your notes for next year!
Remember, your health matters at work! Not every task is created equal! Which ones can you let go in order to set yourself up with a more sustainable work pace?
We wish you a sustainable pace and kindness towards yourself in this new school year ❣️