Inspiration and resources for balance before burnout
Archive for the ‘simplification’ Category
The “weekend” we call summer vacation.
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
The rhythm of the weekend, with its birth, its planned gaieties, and its announced end, followed the rhythm of life and was a substitute for it. ~
I was out at the beach spending a few hours in the glorious sunshine with a friend from school today when she introduced me to a family friend who also is a teacher. When asked about how her summer vacation was going she took that common deep breath, and replied with how summer was like the weekend.
She went on to explain how June is like Friday, July is like Saturday and August is so Sunday. This was perfect!
In June we are finishing our school year and excited for the possibilities the "weekend" has to offer. We are often exhausted from a long and tiring"work week", but feel we must start the "weekend"off with a bang.
This takes us into July, the Saturday of summer. We have trouble getting anything done first thing. We are happy to laze around and follow our own inner time clock. Some of us are up with the sun, using every waking moment to get things done, while others like to sleep late, lounge around, and refresh. Monday seems so far away until August sneaks up on us.
August is the Sunday of summer vacation. We remember what we planned on getting done and make preparations for the coming "work week". There is often a bit of sadness and often denial that comes as the "day" progresses,that is mixed with the excitement of the potential of a fresh start.
How do we use this "Sunday" to prepare for the coming school year?
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If you've been working or just very busy during your summer, be sure to use some time for a day of rest. Our quiet time alone helps us to hear what our inner self needs. It is also a great way to spark our creativity as we get ready to plan.
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Clear some space for the new. If July was all about the fun, now is the time to do a little work on clearing out the old that wasn't serving your purpose. This might mean physically clearing out the old papers, old books or junk. It might also mean clearing out duties that consume your time, but don't match you values or vision. And it also might mean taking care of the little things that have been bugging you, like a leaky faucet, a messy trunk, or a broken drawer. Little things like these zap our energy.
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Sundays are the time to look at the week ahead and iron our clothes, pack our lunches, etc. In August it's time to make sure we have what we need to begin the year successfully. Stock up on supplies, write out new habits you'd like to start, and organize your supplies, clothing, and daily resources so the new routine runs smoothly.
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Breathe. If the end of summer is a difficult transition for you, please try to remember that while we can't control everything, we can do a great deal to create the autumn of your dreams. What can you do to add pleasure to your fall routine. Where can you set boundaries and find more time for you? Take control and be a life creator! Don't let the rest of the world decide your life for you.
Holiday Wishes – simplify, let go, and let them help!
Thursday, December 24th, 2009This holiday season, my lesson has certainly been to keep it simple. Picture Disney’s Snow White doing her chores with the birds and woodland animals dancing around her singing while she whistled her way through her chores. Well that was me preparing for the ensuing blizzard that hit the East Coast last weekend. I have 2 feeders that stick to my windows of my glass enclosed "Maine Porch Room". This is my favorite place to watch storms and see the birds as the forage for seed. I was running up and down the stairs of the deck, whistling Christmas carols, when all of a sudden I took a tumble. You can picture the interruption to the woodland vision.
Well after the storm subsided the next day, I was able to get an x-ray and luckily it was only a sprained wrist. This has meant that preparing for the holidays and sending out last minute college applications at schools has been a slow process. I know the lesson for me was to let go of perfect and simplify.
The other gift was in letting others help me. My boys made me so proud, cooking dinners, hanging curtains, folding clothes, all the thins I would usually do myself so it was done right … but guess what … they did it better! We had so much fun, and I think it made this Christmas a very special one!
The message for you:
May you keep it simple, let go of perfect, and let others help you!
Peace!
Free Technology Resources
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009Wanted to pass along a link to a great downloadable resource and it’s free. If your like me you are constantly looking for how to use technology to enhance your teaching. Most of our students are way ahead of us, but edutopia.org offers some great advice on how to use it more effectively.
Here’s what they have to say about it:
"Full of succinct and practical ways to prepare our students for 21st-century success, this guide will educate and inspire
you to embrace the new-media frontier and embark on a new learning adventure. From “Breaking the Digital Ice” to
“Working Better, Together” each tip provides succinct and practical ways to turn your classroom into an environment
for learning with new media. And each tip includes a wealth of Web sites and additional resources to help you deliver
the relevant and meaningful education all students deserve."
Organizing Paperwork – Binders work!
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
Preparing for back to school means a fresh start with organizing the mountain of paperwork we know is inevitable. There are a variety of systems we can use to help tame the paperwork we are inundated with at school.
One system to explore is a binder system. Keep your three-hole punch close at hand and organize your paperwork into known categories. Binders are great for papers you will need to keep for a while, want on your finger tips, prefer to keep in chronological order, or keep by student or topic. A benefit of the binder system versus a regular file folder is this added protection, and consistent order. They also can bee easily stored and look better on your shelf or desk than a file overflowing with mix-matched papers.
So, what are some areas of paperwork that would be best organized with a binder system? Here are a few:
Student/Parent contact information and Log – Important phone numbers, etc together with contact log and pockets for notes. One cover sheet with one pocket per student in alphabetical order for easy access.
Classroom procedures or sample lessons for Substitutes
Homework binder – organize by subject if necessary, separate by date with post it or colored sheet. As homework is passed out to students a student helper could put an extra copy in this binder for future reference and absent students.
Subject notebooks – a safe place to keep resources for specific lessons or subjects to alleviate researching the topic the next year.
Office notices and protocol – Keep important papers from administration and meetings in chronological order for quick reference.
Professional Development – Paper work on completed courses with a section for your plan.
What else could go in a binder? Please comment below and share with others. Best of luck preparing for a successful new year!
The Rewards of Harmony
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009A choice that rewards you with a sense of harmony between yourself and what surrounds you reveals something you value. A choice that leaves you feeling empty, or worse — annoyed, resentful, sorrowlful — indicates you’re under the influence of something other than what truly matters. – from A Woman’s Guide to a Simpler Life by Andrea Van Steenhouse.
Wow! Why does this seem so simple yet so challenging? This month as I have been practicing simplifying and organizing my life, I have found that the first step for me has been rest and quiet. Last month after the hub-bub of the holidays I stepped out of the lime light of my business and withdrew to my comfy homelife.
In this quiet, I have been thinking about what is important to me. What I want to keep and what I must let go of. I have been able to begin little projects weeding and pruning by asking myself if they fit in harmony with my life.
This past month the landscape of my life changed drastically. My husband left his position at a bank to finally start his own business. It has been a wonderful and exciting time, yet shifted many family routines.
As I go through each day and make decisions on how to spend my time. I try to take the time to pause to ask myself if it fits in harmony with my new life. Our values are the same, yet the routines have changed, so I can’t take the outcomes of my decisions for granted. It is a whole new playing field.
This was terrifying at first, but now I am enjoying the change that was made to fit our values. He’s closer to home, doing what he loves, and even though he works most weekends, the times we are together as a couple or a family are more precious, because we appreciate them. I believe because he is following his own calling he has more love and energy to give us.
Those who think they have not time
Monday, January 19th, 2009Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.-Edward Stanly U.S. Congressman
These past few weeks have been terrible for illnesses here in New England. I made it through the holidays in one piece and then succumbed to an awful stomach bug just after returning from vacation. It was pathetic. I had important meetings at school and tried to push through it, but finally caved in and stayed home.
I know that when I get sick, it is when I have pushed myself to do too much. I stayed up too late, worried too much, and tried to pack too much in to one day. When I am well I can do this and be clear and strong, but I now know that living on adrenaline wears me down fast. But it’s the nature of the job, right?
I suppose, but it wasn’t ending at work. So now I am looking at what I can control and fitting in ways to process that adrenaline before the inevitable crash. The answers are not exciting or new, but basics that help me sustain myself so I can be there for myself and those who need me.
Action Steps:
Exercise - I’m building in a routine at least 3 days a week on the treadmill to start amping up the chemicals that help process the "fight or flight". Now a day when we feel threatened, are bodies get ready to go, but the stress comes and we no longer "run away". The chemicals for flight just build up and leave us feeling anxious. Best way to get through it is to walk or run.
Breathe – Yoga, singing, and meditation all are great ways to get the air flowing. Deep breathing helps get more oxygen through your body and to your brain, which also helps with stress. There is a great deal of research on breathing techniques. My first week back to school I was so busy that I noticed I was holding in my stomach and taking short breaths. Taking time for deep breathing when I feel myself holding it all in has helped to calm my thoughts.
Just say no – Before I take on something new, I check with how I am with adrenaline. If it’s going to get me too crazy I try to say no.
Time Management - Giving myself plenty of time to get things done, or to get to where I need to go, means I can do things without added stress. I used to say I worked better under pressure, but I realize the price I pay in the end isn’t worth the push of procrastination.
Limit the caffeine – I love my coffee in the morning and am not ready to give it up all the way, but I can listen to my body signals and stay away from sugary sodas for lunch. Protein and complex carbohydrates and plenty of fluids also help.
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