Balancing Life

I started this month thinking I would continue to blog about engagement. There are so many engaging resources out there that can help us to engage students during this different time. But the more I talked to my teacher friends, the more I realized we all need to learn more about balancing life. We are spending a lot of time at home, but many of us have our devices with us and are working from morning to evening. How are you balancing this new adventure? Do you feel overwhelmed? Many of us are trying to balance our own children, husbands, friends, families, and work-life. It's tough!

Prioritizing 

There are so many different ways we can prioritize our life and make sure we are balancing out the needs we have, our students have, and the needs of our family and friends. I know it will be hard at first but there will be some adjusting time. There will be a time where you will need to get comfortable with putting down your phone, your laptop, the tablet and walk away. It's okay to take time for family, they need you too! 

1. One thing at a time, with full presence.
• Focus on one thing at a time. Focus all of your attention. It might be beneficial to make a list, prioritize what you need to accomplish first and so on. It's okay to not get to everything on your list in one day. Give yourself a break, this is ALL new to everyone. 
2. Family and close friends at the top.
• During quarantine, a lot of us are mothers, husbands, wives, and pet owners. We have a lot of important people that need us on a daily basis. Family and friends are ALWAYS at the top. Make sure you set aside time to focus on your children, husband, wife, or friends. Not only for them, but because they make us truly happy. 
3. Focus on importance, not urgency.
• As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” Do yourself a favor and think about the difference between importance and urgency, think about your obligations, and do what is important first!
4. Keep your efforts aligned with your purpose.
• Your heart already knows. Listen to it. You know what makes you happy, you know what your students and families need, and most important you know what you need to do to accomplish your purpose. Follow your heart. 
5. Play to your strengths and delegate when it makes sense.
• Don't forget that we are in this TOGETHER. Don't be afraid to reach out to a colleague, ask for some help, or advice. We are all new to this and can learn from one another. It's okay not to know everything. We can all learn something from someone!
6. Socialize and share with peers.
• Did anyone say Zoom? This has been a time where everyone is interacting with each other through technology. But Zoom doesn't just have to be for those staff meetings, meetings with students, or professional developments. Take time to interact "face to face" with your friends and family. Make it fun! Happiness is truly the key to success. 
7. Give what you can, seek what you desire.
• As teachers, we always seem to want to give our students ALL that we have, and that is an amazing thing. But sometimes, especially at difficult times like this, we need to give what we can and give ourselves some credit. We can't give everyone our ALL or what would be left for us?
8. Leave the past behind as you plan ahead.
• This is definitely a learning time. Each week changes, new things pop up. We are trying lots of things, it's okay if everything doesn't work. Keep what worked and keep on pushing. Don't worry about the past, learn from it and move on!
9. Commit to self-respect, regardless of the issue at hand.
• NO negative talk. Ask yourself, "If I had a friend speak to me the way I speak to myself, how long would I allow that person to be my friend?" I can't say it enough, we are all in this together. This is NEW. It's okay to learn together, one day at a time. 
10. Leave room to breathe.
• Always find time for yourself. Find time to do something that makes you happy. A bike ride, a long walk, working out, or even just sitting in bed watching Netflix. Find time to be by yourself and appreciate who you are and what you do for so many people on a daily basis. Breathe!

I hope during this time you find time to really learn about yourself. How much you love your family and friends, how much you love your job, your students, and your colleagues. This is the time to really spend time thinking about how lucky we are to be in a position where we get to shut down for a while and spend time with the people we truly love! I know throughout this past month I have realized I really miss socializing at work, seeing my students' smiling faces, laughing at our weirdness, but I know this time will pass and that I need to step back and find all the positives throughout this situation. I know we can do this! We are in this TOGETHER!