It’s no secret that teachers are some of the most giving people around.
They give their time, energy and knowledge to help their students grow and succeed. But sometimes, all this giving can come at a cost to the teacher’s well-being.
When you’re constantly putting others first, it can be difficult to set boundaries and say “no”.
If you’re a teacher who finds it hard to set boundaries, here are 5 tips that can help.
Set realistic expectations for yourself
Don’t try to do everything and be everything to everyone. It’s simply not possible (and not healthy).
Set realistic expectations for what you can accomplish in a day, week or month.
And be okay with the fact that you can’t do it all.
There are some things you can’t change so focus on what you can change.
Communicate your boundaries to others
If you’re finding that you have too many commitments, it’s important to communicate your boundaries to others.
Analyse what you like and dislike and decide not to tolerate something that drains your energy and enthusiasm.
Let your family, friends and colleagues know what you’re comfortable with and what you’re not.
If asked to do something you don’t want to do, gently tell them that you would love to help but that you are already at full stretch.
This will help them understand your limits and respect your boundaries.
Don’t be afraid to say “no”
Remember that It’s okay to say “no” to things that you don’t have time for or don’t want to do.
Your time is precious and you should only spend it on things that are important to you.
Not saying “no” will only lead to resentment if you end up doing things you dislike or are uninterested in.
Do you say yes to things that you need to say no to? Are you afraid to say no?
Have a look at how I support teachers and book a call if you think I can help.
My mission is to empower teachers to flourish and I would love to hear from you.
Set boundaries on your time
It’s important to set boundaries on your time so that you don’t end up feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.
Setting boundaries is simply exercising healthy self-care in relationships.
Often the biggest obstacles to self-care is the inability to say no or being driven by a need to please others at your expense.
It could be simply operating in muddled relationships where appropriate boundaries have never been defined.
Consider setting aside specific times for work, relaxation and self-care.
This will help you focus on what’s important and prevent you from over-committing.
But most importantly, you have to be vigilant to maintain your time boundaries.
If you don’t allocate your time someone else will!
Top Tips
How do you want to feel at the end of the school year? Do you believe that you can end the year tired but not depleted?
These tips are useful reminders to help you set effective boundaries on your time.
- Set non-negotiable working hours
- Decide on work-free blocks of times or days
- Analyse your time
- Work at school until you’re finished
- Don’t take work home every day
- Do what you love frequently and consistently
- It’s OK to let teaching take a back seat
And finally, if you would like to hear more about how I help teachers develop systems and strategies to use time effectively and prioritise workload, use this link to book a call.
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