Alright, so this issue hits especially close to home today. Why you ask? Well, I just experienced my first back to school nightmare of the season. This blows my mind as it hit earlier than EVER this year. (SIDE NOTE . . . this is ironic as all get out since I will have a new role in the fall that doesn’t require me to ready a classroom.)
It started out as a normal night (very tricky if you ask me). I hit the gym, ate dinner, watched some junky summer TV, and crashed into a sweet slumber by 9:30 pm. Well, in a mere two hours, I managed to get myself into REM sleep and tangle my brain into a full on BACK TO SCHOOL nightmare by 11:30 pm. What the “H-E-Double Hockey,” people?? This is absolutely mind-blowing to me as it’s not even mid-July (the usual onset of such nighttime chaos) ;/ Needless to say, the dream turned into a night of ungodly sleeplessness for little old me. I just couldn’t turn “it” back off.
This whole late night ordeal got me thinking . . . obviously I am wound a bit tight this year if this sort of junk is already hitting. With this said, I decided to share a handful strategies that have helped me keep the nightmares and back to school stress at bay. I am posting not only to possibly help others, but to also walk my own talk.
ONE – JOT IT DOWN
Many of you probably know this one, but when the going starts to get hectic, it often helps to break out the lists and get it on a calendar. As a very visual person, seeing the “big picture” helps me. A calendar is a no-brainer and just good life practice. However, when it comes to the lists, I have a new tactic. I still write down the BIG things in advance, but the rest gets charted as I sit down to begin my day. My goal is to pick a manageable line-up that lends itself to calm productivity. I write even the littlest of things on my list. Things like GYM, CALL KATE, and BRING TRAVIS LUNCH now wind up on my lists. And, you can bet your bottom dollar that I enthusiastically cross all of these off my TO-DO page. What can I say? Seeing all of those colorful marks and DONE checks results in some serious motivation.
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| My messy planner filled with lists . . . I need to get going today 😛 |
TWO – GET VERBAL
I have found it very helpful to talk my school worries out with a spouse, parent, or teacher friend. I have even been known to chat with myself when no one is available. Writing it down sometimes just doesn’t cut it. Find a good listener and prioritize orally. It’s pretty refreshing.
THREE – JUST SAY NO
It’s okay to say no to people and plans. I am a big pleaser, but I am learning to take care of myself more and not immediately reply to everything with a loud, “YES.” This simple notion carries itself into so many aspects of our lives, but it can be especially helpful during your teacher summer. If teammates ask you to meet or work on items and you just aren’t ready, it’s okay to respectfully decline. You will have time in a few weeks to get ‘er done . . . PROMISE.
FOUR – COMPARISON KILLER
While perusing Facebook, Instagram, and other social media outlets, don’t get pulled into the comparison trap. Some of your teacher pals may be ready to dive into the back to school push. Maybe you aren’t in full on education mode yet. Maybe your prep is looking different. Maybe you’re just enjoying your summer break (heaven forbid). I often avoid social media during the first few weeks of summer to stave off this feeling. While I am working in the summer, I limit my time scrolling through videos and pictures online. It’s easy to get yourself by the tail and start feeling like you should be doing more. Well, I am here to give you permission to just be YOU and roll the way YOU want to in your classroom this year.
FIVE – DITCH THE GUILT
I have been working on this one since I jumped into the education biz. I’m pretty sure quite a few of you continue to ride the struggle bus with me here. There is always something we can be doing to ready/better/prep our classrooms and lessons. It’s never ending. One of my consistent teacher goals is to find balance between work and home . . . and to not feel guilty when I actually take a break to enjoy life.
SIX – IF ALL ELSE FAILS . . .
This brings me to my final thought of the day . . . sometimes you just can’t get out of teacher mode and the sleepless nights and/or nightmares creep into your summer. My thought here is to just go with it. Case in point. I laid in bed for two hours last night. I moved into the spare room for a chunk of time and then transitioned again to the couch. I kept fighting it until I had a little mental talk with myself. I realized what was bothering me – one of those unfinished tasks on my TO-DO list just didn’t settle right with me. SO . . . I got up and tackled it. I worked from 1:00-3:30 and crossed that pesky line off of my list. When I did, I crawled back into bed and was out until the cat decided to try and eat my hair at 5:20 . . . kids (((sigh))).
Alright, so there you have it. My real post about beating those back to school nightmares and sleepless nights (at least this early in the game). Here’s to enjoying what’s left of summer and being proactive in the “keeping calm” department as we roll further into July.
On that note, I am crossing this post off of today’s list of desired accomplishments and I’m off to take a much needed nap. Big hugs and thanks for visiting. I’ll be back soon with a fun post and a new web site reveal 🙂
I enjoyed your post, thanks! Here in Australia we are in the middle of a two-week winter break and I'm feeling the pinch already as I think about everything that has/wants to be done before school starts again! I have just been talking to my husband about it all, and that helped, so was glad to see that on your list of suggestions. But now I really need to write a big list, like you said, and feel some accomplishments rather than get bogged down with ideas darting here and there. Enjoy your summer 🙂
Thanks for writing, Fiona. Isn't it crazy how we do this to ourselves during every break??!! Make that big 'ol list, keep chatting with that sweet hubby of yours, and slip in a few treats for yourself before you go back. Big hugs and good luck.