Boundaries have been the big topic of discussion lately. Every time I post about them the comments and shares go a little bit bonkers, which tells me we're all sitting with the same tension!
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Because here's what I keep coming back to. So much of what we get praised for as teachers is really just over-giving. You're so dedicated. You're so passionate. You care so much. And somehow that turns into cool cool - can you also stay late, work the weekend, answer the email at nine at night. And the more you give, the more that just becomes the baseline. β Somehow we've ended up in a job where asking for less feels like letting everyone down.
It isn't. You can care deeply about your students and still leave at 3:30. You can love this job and still want it to be easier. And no-one is going to protect your time FOR you. You have to decide it's worth protecting... and then protect it like you would anything else that matters.
E = Education Tip π‘
PSA: "I'll leave when I'm finished" is a trap. As teachers, we're NEVER never finished. There's always one more thing!
I posted a two-week plan for this recently and someone commented this:
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And she's right, it is simple!! Not easy, but simple. It's not about working faster, it's about deciding your day has an end.
Soooo if I had two weeks to get you leaving on time, here's the exact plan:
Set a 3.30 alarm. When it goes, you pack up. Whatever's unfinished becomes tomorrow's first job.
Book something for 4pm. A hard commitment beats a soft maybe.
Tell your next-door colleague you're leaving at 3.30. Accountability beats willpower.
Kill the "I'll just finish this one thing" trap. One thing turns into four, every time.
Move the task that always makes you stay late to the morning.
End the "quick chats" after the bell. They're never quick (unless it's the good kind of yap that fills your cup, in which case stay and enjoy it).
Will there be weeks it's genuinely not possible? Of course. There are seasons you'll just have to stay, BUT teaching will always find one more thing for you. There's even a name for that: Parkinson's Law, the idea that work expands to fill whatever time you give it.
Leaving on time isn't ignoring the load. It's a boundary. And those boundaries are what keep you loving the job.
You don't have to do all six. Pick one and try it for two weeks. Then try another. Let me know how you go! :-)
R = Resource Spotlight π¦
Which brings me to something I'm excited to be part of.
Next week is a free 4-day audio summit called Teacher Summer Talks, hosted by Emily and Heidi from the Teacher Approved podcast. 30 experienced teachers are sharing the systems, routines and decisions they set up early in the year, because those are the things that make the whole rest of the year soooo much easier.
Every session is audio only, so you can listen on the go!
My presentation is called "How to set up a school year that doesn't require nights and weekends". It's all about designing a year you don't need to recover from, instead of simply surviving and then collapsing in the holidays.
And whether you're heading back to school in the northern hemisphere, OR you're in Aus or NZ and want a proper reset for the second half of the year, there's something in there for you.
P.S. In case you skimmed above, sign up to the free Teacher Summer Talks audio summit to access my presentation! I promise it's chock-a-block full of super practical, helpful tips for you!!
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