Balance

Many teachers--at least in Teach for America--seem to say one of the biggest challenges to teaching is maintaining a balance between your teacher life and your home life. I've heard a lot of people say, "I couldn't do your job, I'd bring it all home with me." 

Working at a school where many of my children are living in poverty and may not have the best home life is difficult. I see my students struggling to keep it together during the school day because of a lack of sleep or lack of food. It makes you want to grab all your kids and give them one big hug because you don't know quite what else to do. While I do bring all those worries along home with me--as well as the paperwork--I have tried hard to maintain a balance between work life and home life. 

My best friend Linds and I would both come home last year and try NOT talking about school. It was a rule. No school talk. But we couldn't do it. Eventually, it comes back up somehow because teaching was a part of us. It was easier last year, I think, for me to maintain the balance between home and school because I had Lindsay in my life to come home to every day and talk, watch silly movies and TV shows, and just generally have a friend there for me. 

Since her unexpected death this September, I left our apartment and moved into a one-bedroom on my own. I've struggled to keep that happy-home part of me alive. It helps that I live in apartment complex with several teacher friends. We even carpool back and forth to school and I know, without them, I couldn't have made it through the challenges I've faced this year. But I need to make a change to help me be healthier instead of the couch-potato, TV watching, going to sleep at 9 teacher I've become.

A teacher friend of mine told me it takes 30 days to make or break a habit, so here it goes. I'm starting a 30 day challenge. Every day, for at least 20 minutes, I need to exercise. I can go running with friends, go over to the small gym and run on the treadmill, Just Dance or Zumba in my apartment. But I have to to it, every day, for 20 minutes. Here's to balancing the teacher life and my personal life :) I'll keep you updated.