Nancy,
I found that time for myself was difficult to come by when I was at work. I made sure I took some time before work a couple of days per week before I went in. I used to stop for a light breakfast at a local diner.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I have no time between classes my boss make up the schedule where when one class is over I go to the next class. I try to see students who needs to consult with me before each class begins and take breaks when the students go on their break which is 15 mins., before each hour. To manage my time, I come to work an hour or 2 early of stay after my class is over to prepare for the next day. I am always using my planner and a calendar to prioritize my days, my weeks, and my month trying to separate my personal task from my work task. I do delegate where I can. There is always somthing that needs my attention. I am still trying to find time for my self on a daily basis not just time to go to bed. Does anyone have any suggestion, I would appreciate it
I almost feel relieved when my cell phone battery dies for the day and I have to wait to get home to charge it back up!
Rick,
I do the same thing. It gives me a sense of contro and puts me at ease that evening.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I have been doing this job for a few years now and have found my system for the day. One of the most helpful things i do is not leave the evening before without setting up for the next day.
I used to take work home all the time. My weekends were a consumed with grading papers and preparing for the next week. I found that if I make a list at the start of the week of everything that I need to accomplish I am able to complete the tasks and have my time away from work for myself and family.
Rick,
I do not like to work from home. I go in early and stay at the office late, but still find myself working once and a while at home. What is you trick for getting everything done?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I do not bring my work home with me.
Donald,
Mental breaks during busy days are important. The students need them as well.
Jeffrey Schillinger
On our campus the classes are five hours, that ends up being 12 hours, the other two hours are for doing grades and take care of class projects. I think whats so exhausting is the classes I teach normaly have larger numbers on students. We can have as many as 30 students per instructor, so the class can be 50+ with two instructors. I really enjoy working with our students on average our students really like what they are learning. When working in larger classes I need to make time to clear my head, for me just taking five minutes to step out of the class will help me gather my thoughts. Then I can come back in with a clear head and move forward. When doing a single class this is not a big issue we have plenty of time before and after class. I have also found that taking a little time to read something like a book or something related to a hobby gives me a nice break between classes even if it's only for five minutes.
Donald,
It is difficult to teach in long stretches. We try to limit our teachers to no more than two four-hour classes per day.
Jeffrey Schillinger
This is something I must do everyday, I am an instructor at a tech school which sometimes we work double shifts. Taking time to think about how my morning class went really helps me to stay on track for the next class. Teaching for 12 hours tends to take a toll on mental focus.
That’s an interesting question. I would like to share my opinion from experience of working in three different countries. An employee may lose his professional equilibrium (sync between personal & professional life) with the following.
1. When supervisor’s set unrealistic employee job performance goals/ expectations.
2 . Employee ignores constraints of time to complete a task with academic integrity to meet
higher standards by fixed deadlines.
3. The concept of “work place avalanche†(self-coined term), when work is systematically passed down the line.
4. Power of the chair: There is great power associated with a manager’s chair, and some lose their mental balance and their capability of making productive decisions. Thus staying in sync irrespective of the position/ designation you work and love what you do, should be the main driving force for every employee.
We work as per deadlines; for sure one is dead till we reach those dreaded lines.
- Sharif Zahooruddin
Sharif ,
Thank you for sharing this perspective. What do you see as threats to keeping work in balance?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Striking a balance in between personal and professional life is really important. Control your biological clock through meditation and determination.
Chad,
Nice post. Sometimes it is best to say "not right now" when asked for something.
Jeffrey Schillinger
First you must learn to say no to others and YEs to yourself. We all want to be helpfull to others but if you aren;t taking time for yourself then you are paying the price. Take 20 minutes a day to be with yourself, check your personal stocks, write in your journal do something you like to do. This will put you in a better frame of mind and your time spent helping others will actually be more detail oriented since you have done something for yourself already.
Helen,
Some fols are adicted to their phones and are never off them. They are a valuable communication tool that gets overused. How might a teacher use this technology to better communicate with students without overdoing it and losing the personal interaction?
Jeffrey Schillinger
too many people have a cell phone working all the time means you are responsible all the time at anyones convience except your own. there needs to be less cell phones and more inter-personal relationship one on one time. are cell phones really a need or is it just a WANT.
I schedule time for myself and make it a high priority. No phone, no computer.
