Striving for Balance–Enforcing Work Boundaries
I’m sitting on my front porch in a refinished Adirondack chair, enjoying a warm afternoon breeze and a glass of ice water. I’d rather post to Mindful Stew than grade papers or check my work e-mail. Or call parents. Or attempt to get ahead on my lesson plans. Or log on to Edmodo to respond to some student posts.
Image from http://www.philnel.com
Eyeteach,
It’s one the best thing us teachers can do–putting on the brakes–or the demands become ridiculous. I think the key is figuring out how to be most effective in a given amount of time. I’m always tweaking the time spent grading/lesson planning etc, to find a balance that results in a strong classroom culture and student outcomes.
The pressure on us to continuously improve, improve, do more, do more is quite relentless, and who but ourselves can put the breaks on before we, quite literally, break down? I am a teacher, and my work has much meaning, but I don’t owe MORE and MORE and MORE until I am burnt to a crisp. Although it’s a continuous process, I am learning to take time off.
I am paying the price right now for not finding a Balance in my work and health! I am off for 2 weeks per doctors orders due to health issues and the pressure I get from the school and parents is tremendous. I have to put up boundaries, my health and life depends on it.
Jolyn,
I have the same mindset you so about leaving work behind when possible. Fortunately, I do enjoy teaching and accept that it’s impossible to leave everything at school!
I don’t have much time to read blogs during the school day:)
Look forward to checking out your blog–thanks for stopping by.
Fortunately, my job is not overwhelmingly time consuming. When I leave work, I leave it behind–the good, the bad and the ugly (for the most part…I do have my stressful moments when it lingers onto my free time but not as much as before) However, I actually do not mind what I am doing. It’s more so the negative environment that causes me to dream about leaving to another place. However, I try to make the best of it and enjoy what I do at work while sneakily do other things I enjoy doing like reading blogs. 😉 I am grateful that I have the space to enjoy these simple pleasures while also maintaining my work schedule.
Without rest, you just kill yourself. We need hobbies.
Sorry. I wondered how you could take a break this early in the school year! No I have no pert-time jobs. Just blogging (as you can probably tell!) There were things about the job I disliked, but on the whole I would do it over again. Hang in there. The schools desperately need people like you!
Hi Hugh,
I suppose some of the questions and opinions could be rendered moot if one truly loves his or her job, and doesn’t feel as if anything is missed…
Do you have any part-time job in retirement?
I’m not on break!
I’m retired. But I loved my job — or jobs. I wore many hats as “they” say/ I kept busy and that was a good thing. But I also love retirement — time to read the books I put aside for years or read through too quickly. Have a good break. And keep blogging!
Thanks David. It’s worth watching!
With so many distractions and opportunities to do more, especially in the digital age, saying no or tuning out is certainly a skill and mindset worth developing…
Good point regarding productivity and the tradeoffs required by adhering to this mindset. One of the goals of this blog is to explore what the “good life” could be for myself and others, and while I understand economic realities and obligations, it is mind-blowing to see so many people simply working and striving for bigger houses and more stuff, versus taking the time to enjoy other aspects of life.
Thanks for stopping by!
Thoughtful post. Yes. Focus on critical few professional and personal priorities. Say no to everything else. Have not seen Nigel’s talk….will check it out. Thanks. Dave
Amen. Amen. Amen!
I work for myself and one of the reasons I continue to make that choice (earning probably 50% of what a staff job might pay me) is the freedom to TURN OFF. I stopped work today at 4:00 to run errands, go for a bike ride, sit in the sun and read a book. Next week, I am taking off on the 18th until the 30th. I need a break and am going to take one, income be damned.
Americans are socialized from birth to be productive, not creative, to make $$$$$$$$$ but not to question the tradeoffs required to do so, whether a loss of spiritual, emotional, physical or intellectual freedom to develop ourselves in privacy. I admire everyone who pushes back against the industrial/corporate mindset that will always and unceasingly demand more of us, not less.