Work-life balance is important for everyone, but it is especially important for teachers. When our work life takes over, we can start to feel overwhelmed and stressed. This can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. It’s important to find strategies to create a better balance so that we are happy and healthy both inside and outside of the classroom! In this blog post, we will discuss why work-life balance is important for teachers and how to achieve it!
As teachers, we often carry work home with us, plan our lessons on the weekends, and worry about our students in the middle of the night. This can lead to stress and burnout which is unhealthy. Teachers need some strategies to create a better balance so that they are happy and healthy for their students.
There are many benefits to achieving work-life balance as a teacher. When we are balanced, we are happier and healthier. We are also more productive both in and out of the classroom. Achieving work-life balance can help us avoid burnout, which is when we become so overwhelmed by our work that we start to feel physically and emotionally exhausted, which is not great for us or our students!
So how can we achieve work-life balance as teachers? Here are some tips:
Claim your Priorities
Make time for yourself:
It’s important to schedule some time each week that is just for you! This can be used for anything that you enjoy doing, whether it’s reading, going for a walk, or taking a yoga class.
Be mentally and physically present for family events:
When you’re at home, be present! Turn off your phone and give your full attention to your family and friends.
Set your boundaries
Take your school email off your phone:
This is a great way to set boundaries and make sure that you’re not working all the time! Unless your school pays for your cell phone they have no right to require you to use it for school business after hours.
Don’t take a school bag home with you:
This is another great way to set boundaries and make sure that you’re not working all the time. If you can, leave your work bag at school so that you’re not tempted to work at home. Let’s face it, most of the time we take the bag home and it just sits on the kitchen table staring at us for the right of the night like a bag of shame and guilt that never gets opened anyway!
Leave work on time:
This can be difficult, especially if you’re trying to get ahead or finish a big project, but it’s important to try to leave school on time as much as possible. This will give you some time to relax and unwind before bed so that you can get a good night’s sleep. My goal is to leave at 4:00 every day so I have an alarm set for 3:55 to remind me to shut down my computer, grab my keys, and get out. It’s usually the stack of papers waiting to be graded that slows us down so I am excited to share this free math rubric with you–it works for any grade level, offers clear and effective feedback for students, and allows teachers to grade papers super quick. Enjoy!
Find a support system:
It can be helpful to find someone who understands what you’re going through and help keep you accountable to enforce the boundaries you set for yourself and others. This could be a friend, family member, or even another teacher!
By following these tips, you will be well on your way to achieving work-life balance as a teacher! What other tips do you have? Share them in the comments below!
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