Helping Teachers To Manage Home/School Schedules

Woohoo! You made it through week one of the Teacher Refresh Retreat. Hopefully, you are feeling as though you gained some control in what serves you. Today, we are going to go a step further by checking in on you and helping you to create more time in your life. We’ll share our favorite tool for creating home/school routines along with 7 tips to keeping your time safe. Most importantly, you are going to be reminded that family comes first -ALWAYS!- So let’s get started!

Teacher Check In Time!

So right now, if you are able, allow yourself to relax. Relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and find a comfortable position. Try to quiet your mind as best you can while you reflect on this past week. Breathe in deeply for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and exhale for 6 seconds. Do this three times. Now, if you are able to journal your thoughts, then please do so knowing that it’s for you. Be honest with yourself and don’t feel like there’s a right answer. Be open to what simply comes up as you process life’s events.

What were some challenges you faced this past week? Again, focus on each area of your life. When you consider the challenges that you faced whether they were at home or at school, what solutions did you come up with? How did it feel? 

You’ll notice that you will rarely hear or see the word problem in the land of Lesson Plan Toolbox. Life is all about challenges and how we choose to solve them. There’s always a solution. We often just have to quiet our minds to find it which is why journaling can be so powerful. 

 Finally, as you finish your reflection today, be sure to take time to reread your letter from week 1. Just sit with the thoughts that come to mind and allow yourself to immerse into the feelings that arise. This is “YOUR” why and nobody else’s.

Home and School Schedules That Flow

So let’s dive into the whole reason you scrolled upon this post. First and foremost, you have to realize that in order to make more time, you will have to let go of something else. Here is a 3 step process of how to begin to do so: 

1. If it is not a “must do,’ then it does not go on your schedule. 
2. Block out times in 1 hour increments if possible.
3. Assign a “Big 3” for each day.

The key here is that you need to decide how you want your time to serve you. Life is a game. Don’t let the game shape you, but rather you shape the game. Set a goal for the week and be sure to build in adequate time that will be as uninterrupted as possible. Most importantly, check in with yourself to consider what feelings are being brought to the forefront within you as you move throughout your week. If you don’t enjoy a certain task, see how it can be changed.

Be sure to download the Lesson Plan Toolbox Planner and Wellness Guide. This is the perfect tool to get you started on creating more time in your day.

7 Tips for Keeping Your Time Safe To Create New Habits

1. Know that it is perfectly okay to say, “No.” without an explanation.
2. Put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign when you want to work without interruption (this can be done at home or at school.)
3. Limit your time on social media. It’s super fun, but how productive is it?
4. Try to meal prep as much as possible.
5. If you can wake up 30 minutes before everyone else, go for it!
6. Create a carpool schedule for practice dropoff/pickup times.
7. Budget a lesson planning batch period.

No Matter What...Family Comes First!

This is the absolutely best teacher advice anyone could possibly receive. It’s simple, but yet not always so easy to live by. Our teacher hearts are always giving to others, but we need to remember that we have to allow ourselves to receive from others. So often, school becomes our everything, but our EVERYTHING is so much more than school. 

Sit with that last sentence for just a few minutes. 

This is our only chance to live the life that we were made to be living. Do you really think it was meant to be stressing about school? Of course not! Unfortunately, this is a reality for so many teachers and it is NOT your fault. These are the demands that over time society and our education system have created. Drastic changes need to be made to repair this system, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t change how you handle these stressors.

 Get the help you need. How? Start by speaking with your administration and grade level team. Be specific with your needs, but also be willing to listen. If for some reason, this doesn’t work for you, then turn to us. Our passion is literally helping primary teachers to avoid stress and anxiety by saving you time and energy. We can meet with you virtually and offer suggestions based on  your needs. The best part is that we have so many connections on IG and FB that we know we can steer you in the right direction.

We say all of this to tell you that you are not alone on this journey. There are countless other teachers facing similar challenges balancing home and school life. You were made to teach and are an incredible teacher!

Okay, so you know we love our journaling exercises. Here is one more to get you focused on protecting your time. Simply commit to 2 ways you will protect your time. You can choose from our list or create your own. Write them down. Now, write how it feels knowing you have more time in your day. Check-in with yourself throughout the week to see if anything needs to be adjusted.

What’s Next?

Now that you have the bulk of the time saving strategies under your belt, here’s what’s next:

1. If you haven’t signed up for the FREE Teacher Refresh Retreat, then be sure to do so. We go into plenty more detail on how to accomplish these time saving concepts so you are setup for success.
2. Complete your Lesson Plan Toolbox Planner for the coming week.
3. Reach out to us on Instagram or email ([email protected]) if you are still feeling high levels of stress and anxiety. We are here to help serve you.
4. Join us next week when we discuss having a motivational mindset.

We can’t thank you enough for being here and allowing us on this teacher journey with you. Remember, that this is a journey. There may be bumps in the road, but there’s always a solution. If you are loving what you're reading, then come join The Lesson Plan Toolbox Community! This is the perfect time, because we have so many new members taking part in our Happy New Year Membership pricing.

In case you missed week 1’s blog: Diminishing Teacher Anxiety Heading Back To School In January, then click the link and give it a read. Find us on IG and let us know what made the biggest impact for you.

As always…

Teach~Relax~Repeat

Lesson Plan Toolbox