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Look after yourself
19th July 2024
"Work is a part of life, not all of it. Find the balance that fuels your ambition and nourishes your soul."
Protecting your well-being and managing your workload is essential for anyone working in a school. We are all passionate about what we do and we care a lot but it's all too easy to pour every ounce of energy into our roles, often at the expense of your own health and happiness. Maintaining a balance between our professional responsibilities and our personal lives is not just important—it's crucial.
In the digital world we live in, it’s tempting to be available around the clock, responding to emails and working on documents, reports and data well into the evening and weekends. Of course, we all have times when we feel under the quash and we end up burning the midnight oil but this shouldn't be the norm.
In our profession, we recognise that the to-do-lists we write are never complete, we never get to the bottom of them as there’s always more added on. There’s also those constant conflicting priorities and curveballs that come in, so it is really important for us to draw the line somewhere to protect our health, well-being and relationships and where that line will be will be different for everyone. Simple changes that could make a massive difference:
- Turning off email notifications on your phone, tablet or smart watch
- Having a cut off time for working in the evenings, including looking at emails
- If you do decide to email in the evening, schedule send the email so you’re not disturbing others evenings and weekends
As a school leader I encourage my team to do all of the above (as I’m sure all do) and I also inform parents not to expect replies to emails they send to staff in the evening. I hope in turn, that the parent community will respect that school staff have personal lives too and aren’t available 24/7. Most issues can most definitely wait until the next day so don’t be tempted to reply in haste
Sometimes we can feel guilt or embarrassment that we’ve prioritised ourselves or our family as we feel a deep sense of responsibility and dedication to the children and the teams around us, often leading to the belief that their personal needs should come second. However, it's important to remember that you are a person first. Investing time in hobbies, family, and friends is ok. Engaging in activities you love and spending time with loved ones recharges your batteries, making you more effective and resilient in your professional role. There's no need to feel guilty about taking time for yourself. A well-rounded life makes you better at your role.
As the end of this busy academic year draws nearer, it may be time to think about some new school year resolutions and maybe there could be one that prioritises some boundaries and me time!
Look after yourself.
"Work is a part of life, not all of it. Find the balance that fuels your ambition and nourishes your soul."
Protecting your well-being and managing your workload is essential for anyone working in a school. We are all passionate about what we do and we care a lot but it's all too easy to pour every ounce of energy into our roles, often at the expense of your own health and happiness. Maintaining a balance between our professional responsibilities and our personal lives is not just important—it's crucial.
In the digital world we live in, it’s tempting to be available around the clock, responding to emails and working on documents, reports and data well into the evening and weekends. Of course, we all have times when we feel under the quash and we end up burning the midnight oil but this shouldn't be the norm.
In our profession, we recognise that the to-do-lists we write are never complete, we never get to the bottom of them as there’s always more added on. There’s also those constant conflicting priorities and curveballs that come in, so it is really important for us to draw the line somewhere to protect our health, well-being and relationships and where that line will be will be different for everyone. Simple changes that could make a massive difference:
- Turning off email notifications on your phone, tablet or smart watch
- Having a cut off time for working in the evenings, including looking at emails
- If you do decide to email in the evening, schedule send the email so you’re not disturbing others evenings and weekends
As a school leader I encourage my team to do all of the above (as I’m sure all do) and I also inform parents not to expect replies to emails they send to staff in the evening. I hope in turn, that the parent community will respect that school staff have personal lives too and aren’t available 24/7. Most issues can most definitely wait until the next day so don’t be tempted to reply in haste
Sometimes we can feel guilt or embarrassment that we’ve prioritised ourselves or our family as we feel a deep sense of responsibility and dedication to the children and the teams around us, often leading to the belief that their personal needs should come second. However, it's important to remember that you are a person first. Investing time in hobbies, family, and friends is ok. Engaging in activities you love and spending time with loved ones recharges your batteries, making you more effective and resilient in your professional role. There's no need to feel guilty about taking time for yourself. A well-rounded life makes you better at your role.
As the end of this busy academic year draws nearer, it may be time to think about some new school year resolutions and maybe there could be one that prioritises some boundaries and me time!
Look after yourself.
