What are some strategies for avoiding overwork as a teacher?
Teaching is a rewarding but demanding profession that can take a toll on your physical and mental health if you don't manage your workload and stress levels. Overwork can lead to burnout, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and reduced performance and satisfaction. Fortunately, there are some strategies that can help you avoid overwork as a teacher and achieve a better work-life balance. Here are six of them.
One of the keys to avoiding overwork is to prioritize your tasks and focus on the most important and urgent ones. You can use a simple matrix to categorize your tasks into four quadrants: important and urgent, important but not urgent, not important but urgent, and not important and not urgent. Then, you can allocate your time and energy accordingly, and avoid spending too much time on low-value or low-priority tasks. You can also delegate, outsource, or eliminate some of the tasks that are not essential or relevant to your teaching goals.
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I was used to saying yes to most of the requests despite busy schedules and realize it makes my routines are affected adversely. We should be able to say no to some requests if we know if that is going to strain time management. We should prioritize tasks with a classification including work-related, personal, social, welfare, health, etc, and attend to them when important but not urgent. That enables us not to be bombarded with many urgent and important matters which makes us feel overworked.
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Prioriser oui, selon le degré d'importance et d'urgence mais tout en tenant compte de l'épanouissement et l'enrichissement intellectuel que les t��ches puissent engendrer. Parfois ce qui est top urgent n'est pas plaisant à réaliser alors qu'une tâche agréable mais moins importante, exécutée en premier, peut apporter beaucoup plus en termes d'énergie positive et élan et préparer pour la suite qui risque d'être moins captivante. Garder un esprit de souplesse et d'adaptabilité facilite considérablement le travail et permet d'éviter le surmenage même si la charge est importante.
Another strategy to avoid overwork is to plan your time and schedule your activities in advance. You can use a calendar, a planner, or a digital tool to organize your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks and deadlines. You can also set realistic and specific goals for each day and week, and track your progress and achievements. Planning your time can help you manage your expectations, avoid procrastination, and prevent last-minute stress and chaos.
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A very specific strategy for time planning is to set recurring meetings in your calendar during your planning periods. Be realistic (for example, the 1st planning period of the week is not going to be uninterrupted) Set aside certain planning periods to grade, some to lesson plan, some to make copies. Once these meetings are set do not cancel for anyreason you would not cancel a meeting with someone else for. These meetings are real, they are allotted times for you to accomplish parts of your job description, you are not available to cover a class or duty as you have a meeting, period.
Setting boundaries is crucial to avoid overwork and protect your personal and professional well-being. You need to establish and communicate your limits and preferences to your students, colleagues, parents, and administrators. For example, you can set a fixed time to end your workday, turn off your notifications, and avoid checking your email or phone after hours. You can also say no to requests or commitments that are beyond your scope or capacity, and avoid taking on extra work or responsibilities that are not aligned with your priorities or goals.
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Rappelons-nous des mots de Paracelse : " tout est poison, rien n'est poison, c'est la dose qui fait le poison". Appliquer de la modération et des limites qui permettent de garder la résilience à tout instant ce n'est pas impossible, c'est une question de choix de vie. Outrepasser ses capacités de résistance c'est mettre en danger sa santé et sacrifier son bien-être.
Automating and streamlining some of your tasks can save you time and energy, and reduce your workload and stress. You can use technology to automate some of the repetitive or routine tasks, such as grading, attendance, communication, or feedback. You can also streamline some of the processes or systems that you use for planning, organizing, or delivering your lessons, such as templates, checklists, rubrics, or online platforms. Automating and streamlining can help you simplify your workflow and improve your efficiency and effectiveness.
Collaborating and networking with other teachers can help you avoid overwork and enhance your professional development and support. You can share resources, ideas, best practices, or challenges with your colleagues, and seek feedback, advice, or assistance when you need it. You can also join online communities, forums, or groups that are related to your subject, grade, or interest, and learn from other teachers' experiences, insights, or perspectives. Collaborating and networking can help you expand your knowledge and skills, and reduce your isolation and frustration.
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Kooperation scheint mir eines der wichtigsten Elemente der Entlastung zu sein. Der Lehrer als Einzelkämpfer ist zunehmend verloren. Wer im gelungenen Netzwerk der Kollegen agiert, muss nicht das Rad ständig neu erfinden, sondern kann arbeitsteilig vorgehen und auf Unterlagen, Vorbereitungen, Leistungsnachweise usw. der Kollegen zurückgreifen. Auch gemeinsam erstellte Vorbereitungen, zum Beispiel für Schulaufgaben, entlasten enorm, besonders in sehr korrekturintensiven Fächern.
Taking care of yourself is essential to avoid overwork and maintain your health and happiness. You need to prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and practice self-care and self-compassion. You can do this by getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, meditating, relaxing, or pursuing your hobbies or passions. You can also seek professional help, counseling, or therapy if you feel overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious. Taking care of yourself can help you cope with stress, boost your mood and energy, and restore your balance and resilience.
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Gardons à l'esprit que la santé n'est pas juste l'absence de maladie mais un état complet de bien-être physique et psychologique. Un environnement sain, une alimentation équilibrée, une activité physique régulière, des relations humaines dépourvues de toxicité, plein d'amour et de la bienveillance envers soi-même sont les pas essentiels vers une vie épanouie dans laquelle le travail pèse le juste poids dans la balance et apporte du bonheur et de la satisfaction personnelle.
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