Let’s be honest. . . Sometimes all of this planning, scheduling, sorting, filing, and more planning just gets EXHAUSTING.
We know why we do it: It makes us better teachers, and hopefully gives us more free time and less work to take home.
But still, it’s tiring. There is such a thing called BOP—Being Over-Productive.
Becky, an incredibly Together high school teacher in Harlem, recently reflected about the downsides of efficiency during the school day—and how she now builds in “looser moments” to recharge.
Too Many To-Do’s
“As a teacher and department chair, I have long-loved (and survived by) my version of the Daily Worksheet. I put my To-Do’s directly into my prep-period blocks on my schedule and hold myself to accomplishing them. However, after a 10-hour school day in which I look to my Daily Worksheet to fill every spare minute, I sometimes find myself exhausted and overwhelmed at the end of the day.”
“I soon realized that I needed to allow myself some time to be off my schedule- to check my personal phone, send an email to my mom, get a cup of coffee, and do a guilt-free Facebook check. I now put ‘eat’ and ‘do nothing’ in short but regular blocks throughout my day, knowing that if I do not do these things, I will not be able to sustain my energy and enthusiasm with my kids.”
We love how Becky acknowledges her need for free time, and how she proactively and unapologetically blocks time for recharging.
THIS is what it is all about. . . managing our time and our energy to be the best we can be for our students—and ourselves!
Together Teacher Question: How do you recharge during the school day?
