Balancing School and Personal Life

Not long ago, it was late at night, and I was just about to head to bed. I felt a deep sense of satisfaction from spending another entire day doing a job that genuinely made me happy. However, at the same time, I couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated due to the heavy workload I had to handle every day. From before school, during school hours, and even after school, I found myself constantly engaged in tasks related to my role as a teacher. Even on weekends, I often dedicated hours to organizing the upcoming week, checking student homework, and responding to emails.

Experiencing this mix of satisfaction and frustration simultaneously felt perplexing and counterproductive. I was well aware that my current lifestyle was unsustainable and could lead to a loss of motivation. So, I asked myself how I could restore balance to my life.

The truth is, many times we believe that happiness solely revolves around finding our dream job, and once we do, we're set for life. However, upon closer examination, we realize that there are other factors that contribute to making our job a fulfilling part of our day.

I pondered this notion extensively and concluded that one of the most significant reasons some teachers don't find ultimate happiness in their profession is their inability to establish clear boundaries between their role as a teacher and their personal life.

It's essential to set clear boundaries. While we strive to offer the best version of ourselves to our students, we must also acknowledge the importance of distinguishing between our responsibilities and our personal happiness. In fact, there's nothing wrong with being a little selfish and prioritizing our own well-being.

With this in mind, I made a conscious decision to allocate a specific amount of time for school-related tasks at home. Instead, I devoted more time to my personal hobbies and passions—those activities that kept me motivated in the long run. Not only did this shift benefit me, but it also resonated positively with my students, who appreciated having a more balanced and joyful teacher.

So, let's embrace the practice of setting boundaries between our school and personal lives to enhance the quality of both experiences!