The Life Work Balance Struggle

I am about to embark on my second year of teaching and I keep thinking about how this year will be different. For those of you reading this blog that do not know me I am  in no uncertain terms a workaholic. Call me, text me, email me, and I typically respond within a few hours even on weekends. I always have an electronic device on me to stay connected with work and I have issues with never saying no or asking for help. I struggle with the life work balance, yes I was warned about it, yes I even sat through classes geared towards finding this balance and its importance and yes I still feel prey to not enough balance my first year of teaching. So what should I have known?

1. Always make time for your family, call, text, email, and see them in person even if its only for a day its worth the drive and the time.

2. Make sure your significant  other really gets it, otherwise they will not be happy when you can't leave work at work

3. You run your life on a schedule as a teacher, so schedule in the things you love to do or the goals you have, for me this includes going to the gym and finding time for my hobbies. Say sorry we can't have practice at 6:00 I have another appointment, lets shoot for 5:00.

4. Build a support network, it can be hard moving to a new town but put yourself out there and don't be afraid to initiate new friendships, yes these people have known each other since they were in diapers, yes it will be awkward, yes they may not want to be your snapchat friend, but you don't want to get to the end of year one and realize you haven't built your social network.

Year two will be different, will I still be a workaholic, I have not doubt, but I will keep these four tips in mind to help with the balance because I love being an Ag Teacher but I am more than just an Ag Teacher.

Till the next to I am compelled to blog about my thoughts...