Work-Life Balance for Teacherswith Patti Glasgow

Outcomes: Learn how to:

1. Energise from the inside out2. Set and action goals to get the results you want3. Create clear healthy boundaries 4. Say no easily (with less guilt)

Check-in:

1. Name2. Family3. Something you love about your work?4. Your challenge when it comes to work/life balance

Benefits of Work/Life Balance

• • • • •

• Boost productivity: get more done, higher quality. achieve your goals faster

• Notice opportunities (Positive relationships/emotions)• More time and energy for what’s important to you• Be more resilient, decisive and confident making

decisions• Enjoy the moment: Savour it, be happy and calm

rather than rush, rush, rush• Better health: Less likely to be stressed or overweight

Traditional definition

If we look at work-life balance with a traditional approach, we would imagine a set of scales… to create balance, we need less of one, and more of the other.

Reframing Work/life Balance

Time and energy to do those things that we want to do in our work, AND in our life. This allows for the fact that work and life aren’t two separate entities that never meet.

Most teachers become teachers because they want to give, to teach, to share. It’s part of their life’s purpose. Your life’s purpose cannot be separated from your work, when it is your work!!!

With that…

Today we are going to look at building your work-life balance, by helping you to energise from the inside out, from your work.

With this increase in energy, you will have more time. Then, you can CHOOSE how you spend your time, where you focus your attention.

This is much more powerful than me standing here and telling you to chill out, get a massage, and relax more. Because who is going to do that!?!?!

Activity: Reality Check

Tapping into Secret Energy StoresStrategy 1:

Why did you choose teaching? (Worksheet Page 1: Activity 2)

What impact do you want to have on the world?

Strategy 2: Focus: Are you focusing on your purpose, or your obligations?

Purpose vs ObligationsFocusing on your purpose doesn’t make your obligations go away. But focusing on your purpose gives MEANING to those obligations.

This helps us to tap into the energy within.

E.g. Purpose is to grow future leaders Obligation of paperwork: necessary to track the growth that you are creating.

How can you focus on your purpose daily?

Purpose

Obligations

? Goals

Strategy 3: Goals and ActionIncorporating a personal goal into planning

a. Decide on the goal

b. Take Action

(Worksheet: Page 1: Activity 3)

Aspects of your Life

Goal Specific weekly or monthly actions

Self care Remain calm in conflict with others

5 minutes of daily meditation at6.00 am

Health Lose 5 Kilos 3 x 45 minute walks after work on the Strand

Significant other

Spend more quality time together

Date night once a week

Important v Urgent

Worksheet: Page 1: Activity 3

Thinking about what you have seen in schools, what are some of the

barriers that prevent teachers from having work-life balance?

“I don’t have the time.”“I don’t have the money.”

“I’ve got too much marking.”“I’ve got to be there for my family.”

“Admin won’t let me.” “If you knew how much I had to do you would understand

why I can’t.”“I have to do this, no-one else will.”

Strategy 4:Taking Back ControlWhat are we going to do about these reasons? ( Activity 4)

1. Draw a line through one, commit to using it no more.2. What can you say instead?

“I have to do this, no-one else will.” “What’s most important to me? I can choose to prioritise

where I spend my time.” or“ I could ask for help, share the load.”

For accountability:Total Teacher Support Face book Group

Above the Line Thinking:Helps us to feel more energised, because:• We are in control.

• We have a choice.

• We determine where we focus our energy.

• We take responsibility for how we feel.

• We choose what we make things mean.

Strategy 5: Topping up your Tank

If you think of yourself as requiring fuel, there are two places that you can get your energy:- From within (internal)- From outside (external)

Activity 5: a. Confidenceb. Current sources of energyc. Internal/ExternalThe difference between internal/external?

How to Fill Your Tank of Self Worth Internally

•Setting goals and action steps, tracking them, taking time out to celebrate when we achieve our goals

• Self Praise: Would you let your best friend say those things to you?

•Affirmations on your wall: “I am confident and capable in all that I do.”

•Journaling

•What do you make it mean about you? What else? What else?

•Letting go of the drama, the story “Let it gooooooooooooooo”

•Time out for connecting with self: Meditation, yoga

•Mindfulness

What internal source will you use this week?

Pear Breathing

Mindful Eating

6.Clear Boundaries (Worksheet: Page 3)

You decide how many hours you work, if you don’t some-one else will decide for you.

Decide what time you finish work each day.

When you are technology free, phone off????

When check school emails, mark work, planning?

Job Hours Running Total 168

Sleep 56 112

Eat/Prep/Shop 21 91

Exercise/sc/hobby 6 87

Family time 15 72

Significant other 2 70Driving/dressing 10 60

Work 45 hours Teaching 25

20 Prep for lessons 6

14 Marking 3

11 Meetings 2

9 Parent contact 0.5

8.5 PD 0.5

8 Coaching netball 3

5 Duty/lunch 4

2 Emails/phone 3

0 miscellaneous 2 15 hours spare

Build your “No” Muscle

• Work out why you fear saying no? Are you worried they won’t like you, or you’ll create conflict or put some-one out? Do you need others approval and affirmation? FOMO?

• What’s the bigger “Yes”? List all the activities that you have had to miss out on when you over committed e.g.: walking your dog, playing with your kids on Sunday morning, or sleeping?

• Avoid offering an immediate response. Let’s come up with your way of saying “I really appreciate being asked, can I check my diary first? Would it be reasonable to get back to you by tomorrow?”

(Worksheet: Top of Page 3)

7. Scheduling Before the Week Starts Worksheet: Page 5: Weekly Planner

“Most people struggle with life-balance because they haven’t taken the time to decide what is really important to them. The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”—Stephen R Covey

In Summary:Reframing work/life balance:Work and life are connectedEnergise from your work

Strategies: 1. Connect with your purpose: Why you chose teaching?2. Focus daily on your purpose rather than obligations3. Set goals (including personal) and take action4. Above the Line: Letting go of reasons why you can’t have balance5. Fill up your tank internally6. Clear Boundaries (It is okay to say “no”)7. Scheduling before the week starts

Reflection and Action for Creating More Balance

• One action you will commit this week?

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From Stress to Success

If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 32 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn’t want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher’s job.—Donald Quinn