I Can’t Find the Off Switch! – Make rest a priority.
Last weekend, I let work kidnap me.
It stole hours.
It seeped into my Saturday and contaminated my Sunday.
My life was out of balance.
Finding the off switch can be tricky.
The “to do” list is infinite.
And if, by some miracle, we do get to the end of it… we can add unnecessary, extra tasks.
I have destroyed precious hours of my life by:
- creating a PowerPoint with the perfect layout and animations
- overthinking my classroom seating arrangement
- falling down a Pinterest hole looking for the perfect art lesson
- shopping on Temu for class prizes and the latest storage labels
- scouring websites for “the best” worksheet to use in my maths lesson
A huge key to being a happy teacher is learning to walk away.
To leave it.
To know when you have done enough.
But how much is enough?
For me, enough is when:
- I am “pretty much” ready for the next day of teaching. I know the main content, and the general shape of the day is planned.
- I have completed any administrative tasks due this week.
- I have finished tasks that other staff members are relying on me to complete this week.
Everything else can wait.
At the start of the year, there are endless things demanding our attention.
But sometimes, we are our own worst enemies.
That was me last weekend.
I allowed my desire to tick every box to steal me away from my real life.
I handed over time that should have been used to relax, recharge, and refresh my heart.
The result?
I started Monday super organised… but mentally fatigued.
So this weekend…
Let’s step away from work.
Catch up with people you love.
Spend a couple of hours doing things that bring you joy.
Walk. Laugh. Nap. Sip a glass of wine. Eat slowly. Create a memory that lingers.
The to-do list will still be there on Monday.
But this time, you’ll be fresh and ready for it.
How to be a happy teacher? – Find that off switch.
Thanks for reading along, and have an AWESOME weekend!
Jen
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