Finding Balance

Day 13: Maintaining Teacher Balance

      We always talk about finding "balance" in our life.  The truth is, I am fairly certain that I don't have balance.  Balance, in my mind, implies that two things in your life get equal time and effort.  I assume that the two things that are on either side of the scale is work and life.  

     My scales definitely tip to my family.  Always.

     To be honest, I don't want work to get equal billing as life and family.  There are so many things on the life side that, while I might not always be doing, are always in my heart and on my mind.  SO, balance for me is a challenge.  I try to squeeze a lot of my life into my work, and vice versa.   The lines are a bit blurry.  But, I try to keep as many of my work choices with my family in mind.  The difficult thing is that I have a hard time saying no.  

     For me to feel balanced, I have to make sure that the things that bring me joy are in my life in some way.  I have to make sure that there are things available to me that remind me of the positives in times of stress.  I may be juggling a lot, but somehow the things I am juggling don't topple me over most times.  Because, life is life.  Except for a few weeks in the summer, there are always things to juggle.  I guess I find balance when the things I choose to juggle matter to me, and matter to the ones I love. 

     Dr. Mary Howard (@DrMaryHoward) asks us to consider what we say "yes" to, and what we say "no" to, in the decisions we make in our classrooms.  It will help us move from good teaching to great teaching.  Her question, however, certainly reaches outside of the classroom context and into my world around it.  It's been a game changer for me.  I think when I figure out the answer to Dr. Howard's question, that is when I might find what people call "balance" in their life.  I am slowly working on that...

     To be honest, I don't get enough sleep.  I don't eat the best.  I don't exercise enough.  And, those are things that, for my health, I probably should figure out.  But, those things won't bring my life balance.  For me, balance is found in more subtle, personal things that do exist in my life.  Like gingerbread lattes, and taking pictures, and watching my kids play.  Those things I say yes to every single time.

     But, most times I feel like this elephant on a beach ball.  Confident but precarious.  A strong wind might knock me over, but at least I'd be on the beach.  I think most people feel that way today.  Between work, and life, and the SMART phones that try to merge the two 24-7, balance is harder and harder.  So, I guess I just try to focus on what MATTERS to me, and base my decisions around those things.