The end of the school year brings so many activities. As a teacher and a parent of 3 children, it is often hard to find balance in daily life. Constantly running from event to event. Making the impossible choices of disappointing my many students or my 3 children. Throw in my “extras” of being a union president, my son’s baseball coach and connected educator, one might say I spend my days spinning many plates, making sure none fall. Learning to find a balance is key for an educators survival in this unbalanced world.
A few rules I try to live by to make sure nothing falls:
1. Prioritize: What has to be done versus what can wait. Identify what is urgent and take care of these items. Delay action on items that are not time dependent until you have time. Keep a list, move thing up and down based on the time needs. Make sure you give your up-most attention to those items that are important.
2. Delegate: If someone else can handle the task, LET THEM DO IT!! If a friend offers to grade papers, take the kids to the park, or help out, take them up on the offer.
3. Take care of you: Make sure you eat right, get you needed sleep, and exercise. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t function properly to fulfill all the demands on you time. Take a break from the go, go, go and take care of your needs.
4. Be true to the task: Make sure your efforts are YOUR BEST, if you can’t give it your best it is time to cut items off your to do list and start saying NO!
5. Don’t Regret what you miss out on: IF you couldn’t attend a school event or be there for everyone of your child’s events it is okay. Make sure you ask about what you miss and show those that matter you care about them, but don’t regret that you don’t have a clone or 36 hours in the day.
Finally: Make the important moments matter! Show the appropriate enthusiasm at events, Make everyone that matters know you are there to participate fully. Don’t try to multitask during the school talent show or you child’s award ceremony. Just be there for them!!
So much is going on in our lives. Make sure you focus on what you can do. Live in the moment. Enjoy those that you are with. Keep all the plates spinning!!
Notice I have been so busy I haven’t written a blog post in awhile, many spinning in my head, hopefully I will have time when my summer break begins June 18th!
Sweat to Inspire 