Finding balance as a teacher and a coach

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Teachers are notorious for being generous, self-sacrificing, passionate, compassionate, energetic and dedicated.

But…

This often leads teachers to being involved with so much more than teaching. This might mean being an adviser for a club, working a sporting event, leading student council, supervising a school dance or coaching (to name only a few).

So I ask…

How are teachers supposed to find balance? Balance within their professional and personal lives can be difficult to maintain. Here I will share some of my personal strategies (and struggles) in balancing a life of teaching and coaching.

  1. Put my phone away 
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    I get emails, texts, and notifications on my phone. Sometimes all day and night. Everyone that is connected to me has some way of getting a hold of me outside of regular school or practice hours. I tell my students, parents and athletes that I disconnect at 9:00 PM.

  2. Make plans – Date night with my husband, family dinner, game night, a weekend getaway, night out with friends, movie night, exercise, or even a morning to sleep in.
  3. Its okay to say NO –  A teacher’s willingness to help often makes them some of the first people that get asked to do “extra”. I have gotten that guilty feeling many times, BUT it is okay to say “no”. Let’s face it, we aren’t going to say no every time or completely turn away from every opportunity to help. So, if I need to say no every once and while to maintain my sanity – that’s okay.
  4. Take time to talk – I find myself venting to my close friends and family. Sometimes its my friends and families worried about all the “stuff” I am involved with. However the conversation starts, don’t ignore it. Discussing the pressures and time commitments of being and teacher and more is important for all parties.

I want to make it clear that I struggle with these every year. I am not an expert, but someone that recognizes and experiences the busy life and demands as a teacher and a coach.

As the coaching season gets into swing (early August for swimming) and the new school year begins (just a few weeks later), I often find myself frazzled. The strategies above provide a solid starting point to remind myself what is important and what I can do to help myself find balance.