Are you in need of tips for a work-life balance in teaching? Are you a teacher that has a hard time balancing work and home responsibilities? I think we have all been there as teachers. As teachers, we care so deeply and are passionate about what we do. Many of us wonder what’s work-life balance in teaching because it doesn’t exist in our lives. It’s time to change that. These 6 tips for work-life balance will help you plan and organize work so that it doesn’t interfere with your home life.
Is personalizing learning to your students something that is taking up a lot of your time and not allowing you to have the work-life balance that you want? Drop your name and email, and I will send you my Personalized Learning Toolkit straight to your inbox. This toolkit has the step-by-step process of streamlining a personalized classroom.
Tip #1: Find Work Life Balance Through Batch Planning
Stop planning your lessons day by day. This is not efficient or effective. Planning lessons day by day leads to working late, taking work home, and teacher burnout. None of this leads to a work-life balance. Batch planning allows you to have a life outside of lesson planning and schoolwork, which is something every teacher needs.
Plan Your Lessons Out For At Least One Week
In my first year teaching, I was an intern. I was required to provide my coach with the next week’s plans every Friday. I’m going to be real for a minute. In the beginning, I felt like I was being treated like a child. But, I get it now. That small practice created a habit. That habit set me up for success for years to come.
Imagine your plan book full, your copies made, and everything prepped before Friday. Seem impossible? I promise it’s not.
The practice of having plans ready a week in advance helps with those “Sunday scaries”. A true work-life balance means having your weekends to spend doing what you love, not working on lesson plans.
Work With Units Rather Than Individual Lessons
Use unit planning instead of lesson planning. Begin with the end in mind. What are your intended learning outcomes for students? How are you going to get students from where they are to the end goal?
Having a unit sequence helps lesson planning be more efficient and less cumbersome. It is a lot easier to plan a lesson when you know exactly what you need to teach. Units can be spread out over many weeks. Hello long-term planning!
Tip #2: Use Your Teacher Prep Time Wisely
How much prep time do you have? However you answered that question, you probably still feel as though it is not enough. Prepping can be cumbersome. With a very limited time, every second of prep time is crucial.
Maximize Your Limited Prep Time
I know how easy it can be to want to chat with your teammates during your prep time. Believe me, I have spent my entire prep time talking with my fellow teachers. We talk to kids all day, and we crave some adult conversation, but at what cost?
Is work-life balance important to you? If your answer is yes, then you may need to reevaluate how you spend your prep time. My biggest piece of advice to maximize your prep time is to plan out what you will be doing during each prep.
Here is what worked for me:
Plan out a subject a day and prepare all materials for the following week.
Monday: Plan math for next week.
Tuesday: Plan science for next week.
Wednesday: Plan ELA for next week.
Thursday: Plan social studies for next week.
Friday: Make copies and organize materials.
By planning out my prep times, I hold myself accountable and ensure that I am using my time effectively. Using this strategy sets you up to do work at work and have the work-life balance that you crave.
Tip #3: Only Work Your Contract Hours
Are you laughing at me right now? Or maybe rolling your eyes? Thinking, “Yeah, right. I cannot get what I need to do done in my contract hours.” This statement rings true for so many educators. You can see this reality by the number of cars in a school parking lot at 5:00 pm. Teachers feel the need to stay late in order to ensure everything is perfect for their students.
I feel this! It’s felt so deep. I truly believe that teachers could work 24/7 and not get everything done. There is so much on our plates.
I have a hard truth for you. The work will still be there tomorrow. Your students will not know that you didn’t stay late creating an amazing lesson. They will know, however, that you love them and that you care about them. They will also notice your energy. A burned-out teacher is not good for students.
Use your time wisely. Work while you are at work, and then leave when your contract is up.
Tip #4: Don’t Bring Work Home With You
I’m probably getting another eye roll right about now. Do I really expect you to leave work on time and bring NOTHING home? Yes, yes I do.
Leave work at work. It doesn’t belong at home. This may literally mean leaving your laptop at school so that you don’t even have the option to work. There is a freedom that comes with leaving the work at work and focusing on what needs to be done at home.
Your Family Deserves You to Be Present When You Are Home
Think about this question: What does work-life balance mean to you? Really think about it. Who is at home? Do you have family or friends that live with you? Maybe a dog or another pet? What does it mean to be present when you are with them?
It can be hard to get your mind off of work, especially when you’ve had a rough day. But, doesn’t your family deserve to have your full attention? Don’t you deserve to be present and enjoy what is going on around you?
Try making a list of what is most important to you. Teaching is most likely not number one on that list. While it is so important and a huge part of our lives, it doesn’t deserve that top spot. Focus on your priorities and commit to being present.
Tip #5: Spend Your Time at Home Doing Something You Love
What brings you joy at home? I have several things at home that bring me joy. These include playing with my boys, spending time outside with our animals, cooking (though I do not enjoy cleaning up afterward), and sewing.
Do you spend time at home doing things that bring you joy? If you answered no, it’s time to change that. You may not have time to do it all, but I bet you can get at least one thing in. Do you enjoy playing the piano or singing? What about baking? Whatever it is, pencil it in. Schedule time for yourself to do things that bring you joy!
Tip #6: Find a Hobby You Love and Make Time For It
Hobby? What’s that? I hear so many educators say this because they have devoted their entire lives to their job. I’ve said this before, and I will say it over and over again. Our jobs are incredibly important, but they do not need to be our entire lives.
What is something you love doing? Are you an athlete that enjoys playing sports? Or is quilting something that you love to do? Maybe you enjoy hiking and being in the outdoors. Whatever it is, make time for it.
I know it may seem like you do not have enough time, but I promise you do.
Playing sports is something I have done my entire life. It brings me joy. A little competition is good for my soul. Every Thursday night I hit the volleyball court and play a little recreation volleyball with my team of friends. Sometimes it feels like I have so much to do that I do not have time to play. BUT, I have never regretted taking the time to play. Getting out of the house and doing something that I love allows me to decompress and just have fun. This has been such a huge help with my sanity.
Many of my teacher friends love to quilt. They attend quilting classes and retreats often. I know how busy they are, but they always take the time to do what they love. Allow yourself the time. Allow yourself to have fun and do things for YOU.
Need for Even More Ideas for Work-Life Balance?
A New Way to Think About Work-Life Balance
How to Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Teacher
Set Up a Classroom That Runs Itself
I know how much you care about your students. We understand how much you care about your job. I also know how important and impactful the job of an educator is. Students need teachers who have energy and excitement. A burned-out teacher is not good for anyone.
Need a streamlined process for Personalized Learning to give you some of your time back? Fill out the form below and I will send you my Personalized Learning Toolkit straight to your inbox.
Get your life back while still being a fabulous educator. Take a breath and implement these 6 tips for a work-life balance in teaching to avoid teacher burn-out, enjoy your job, and be present with those who matter most.