Has school taken over your entire life? If you are struggling with overwork and exhaustion and are feeling like you are never good enough and will never get it all done, this is for you. It might be time to take back your life.

You work hard because you care. It’s what makes you a good teacher. You love your students and do everything possible to help them succeed.

Teachers often go above and beyond what is expected. Many teachers are spending an unsustainable amount of time attempting to be all things to all students and in the case of virtual schooling, to all parents.  They are teachers, counselors, and social workers, trying to reach all students and support all families.

And let’s face it, it never seems like enough. When was the last time you ended a school day with no lesson plans to create and no papers to grade?

You’ve probably tried to stop working in the evenings and to leave schoolwork behind on the weekends.  If you have somehow managed to do that, you’ve probably felt guilty.

If you want to stay mentally and physically strong so you can be your best for the students, the guilt trip has got to go.

Here are three things you can do to take back your life:

Set boundaries.

You can refuse to be on call for students and parents 24/7.  Yes, you want to be responsive and helpful, but it can’t come at a cost of total lack of a personal life.

Create a personal policy for returning parent phone calls and email. Set a pleasant automatic response that says when you will return messages. If parents or students are constantly texting you, reconsider giving out your phone number.

Don’t be afraid to set boundaries for what you can and can not do. It is NOT part of your job to call a student every morning and wake him up for school. It is NOT part of your job to be awakened by a parent’s text at midnight- or to respond to it.

If your school does not have a school policy that guides parental expectations for contacting teachers, ask for one. Good administrators respect and support a teacher’s right to have a personal life that is work free.

Check your level of perfectionism.

Perfectionists, you probably know who you are. You have high standards and want to do everything perfectly.

The problem is that for teachers, perfection is not possible. Differentiation is great, but you can’t always be all things to all people. There will always be a better lesson plan or a more perfect activity, but the search is often elusive and exhausting. A teacher’s work is never done, and the to-do list always exists.  That can be unsettling for a perfectionist who likes to have everything done and crossed off the list.

If you are exhausted, resentful and angry about how much you are working, look at your own expectations. Some things deserve 100% of your attention and skill. Other things might be just fine with B+ effort, or maybe even C+ effort. Sometimes good enough is good enough. Give your best to the things that are really worth it.

We know a teacher who stayed up all night making handmade gingerbread cookies for her students. She spent hours and hours decorating each one to perfection. The kids devoured them in a minute. The teacher next door bought some cookies and juice and served them tea party style while students shared poems they had written. It was an event they will likely always remember.

Spend your time on things that matter, and remember that sometimes, done is better than perfect. And accept the fact that there are always things on the to-do list, but they don’t all have to be done today.

Stop comparing yourself to other teachers.

You all know the teacher with the incredible skill for technology, everything is in a spreadsheet and totally organized. Or maybe you know a teacher with an endless supply of engaging games to teach every content area. You know teachers whose classroom décor belongs in a magazine or whose bitmoji classroom design is both funny and inspiring.

Are you trying to keep up with Mrs. Jones?  Are you exhausted yet?

We each have our own gifts.  There is something that you do that is unique and different from other teachers. Perhaps you give students amazing feedback. Perhaps you have a gift for making all students feel special. You might be the one whose jokes keeps kids engaged or the one whose passion for your subject inspires them.

Don’t try to copy other teachers. You can learn from them and borrow their teaching ideas or tools but recognize that you can teach in your own way.

What comes naturally to you?  What methods or techniques do you love?  Sometimes the things we are best at come most easily to us. Working with your unique strengths will always be less tiring that trying to be someone you are not.

We want you to be here for the long haul.  We need good, passionate, committed teachers.  The danger of burn-out is real, as is the danger of losing good teachers to a less demanding profession.  In order to continue to love your job, you need to find ways to rest, relax, and recharge.  If things are feeling out of control, do what you can to take back your life.

Our best,