Redefining Productivity in the World of Teaching
Why Doing Less is More Than Enough This Summer
Drowning.
That’s the best way I can describe how I felt at the end of most days when I was teaching. Planning, prepping, facilitating lessons, grading, and then doing it all again the next day are only part of what a teacher contends with daily.
Sometimes, I found myself crying behind my computer, exhausted and in need of just twenty minutes without my brain running a million miles an hour.
There’s a pervasive toxic sentiment in the education space whereby teachers are expected to be on every minute without rest.
I’m here to tell you: that lifestyle is not sustainable.
It’s time to redefine what it means to be productive as a teacher. By unlearning hustle culture, taking the guilt out of rest, and romanticizing the little moments, we’re creating space for sustainable well-being that extends beyond the classroom.
⭐ Unlearning Hustle Culture
As a teacher, there is never NOT something to do.
In fact, I am certain that if you wanted to, you could fill up twenty-four hours of everyday with all the things that need to get done. Grading, lesson planning, prepping, responding to emails, calling parents. The list never ends. And the expectation is that with all there is to do, it needs to be done perfectly and with 110% given.
I remember times when my friend and I would stay at school until 11pm on a work night planning for the next day or trying to get all of our midterms graded. My weekends were spent bleary eyed as I made my way through what the weeks’ worth of lessons would look like…only to have them change last minute because of a surprise testing schedule or the students needing more time with the content.
Not only could I not live like this…but my work was suffering because I had taken on way too much. There was no way to be able to do 100 things perfectly. So, I had to let some of the balls drop for my own sanity and for the good of the students.
It was all about working smarter and knowing that doing a few things as well as I could meant more than doing all the things poorly.
This summer, as you consider what you want your upcoming school year to look like, think about the following questions in relation to your day-to-day:
What are the absolute essential items that NEED to get done every day, every week, and every month? (i.e. prep, lesson plans, calls home)
What is my cutoff time for work? (i.e. a time that gives you space to live your life outside of work)
What do I want more of in my personal life this school year? (i.e. making yourself a priority)
Taking care of yourself is central to your success both in and outside of the classroom. You don’t have to do everything perfectly all the time to be an amazing teacher. It’s okay to put yourself first and take the hustle out of your school year.
⭐ Taking the Guilt Out of Rest
Oh, the guilt of rest.
Being on vacation during a school break and thinking about everything you should be doing…but aren’t.
Taking that delicious nap after school and accidentally waking up at 8pm in a panic because you needed to bake 35 cupcakes for your class party tomorrow.
Or the dreaded Sunday scaries. Need I say more?
For teachers, the ever-growing to-do list is like a ghost constantly tapping you on the shoulder and telling you that you’re failing at your job if you choose rest over all that needs to get done.
Sundays were always the worst for me. The pile of papers that sat in a corner, staring me down as I was paralyzed by anxiety about Monday. But I wanted my Sundays back, so I decided to reframe them.
Specifically, I had a ritual where every Sunday night at sunset, I’d draw myself a bath, light a bunch of candles, and read. For that hour, I’d shut my mind off. Enjoying the scent of the candles, the melody of the classical music, and the world of the story. It was a time that was just for me without the call of my work bag. I’d come out of the bath refreshed and relaxed. And it was a way for me to take back a day that historically had been filled with dread.
Remember:
You don’t have to be “on” all the time to be a good teacher
Being guilty that you’re resting is actually counterproductive to the rest you are trying to get
Rest is not earned!
Rest is an essential part of taking care of yourself. You don’t need to feel guilty for taking what you need in order to feel your best.
⭐ Romanticizing Your Routines
Summer is the perfect time to start romanticizing your daily routines!
The pace is slower. The days are longer. And there’s more time to find the small additions to your day that fuel you.
I would use my summer to start new habits that would follow me into the school year. A walk in the park every day at 3pm. A cup of tea while reading my book in the morning. Even my Sunday baths were/are a way to romanticize the little things in life that are beautiful.
It was the feeling that these small rituals gave me that I wanted to bring with me into the school year. And because they felt so good, I’d actively seek out ways to find that feeling.
Usually it was a cup of coffee and a good playlist while driving to work. Or a twenty minute couch nap when I got home from school before I began my evening routine. It’s really about finding the small daily rituals that help you feel more present and joyful.
And I know in the land of social media, we often equate romanticizing our routines with aesthetics. But I’m talking about a feeling, not a look. I’m talking about authenticity, not surface.
Romanticizing your routines is about finding the good in something. It’s about finding the joy in an otherwise mundane task.
You can try:
Curating a playlist that you listen to while working
Taking your work to your favorite coffee shop for a change of scenery
Making your favorite tea before you sit down to do some planning
Romanticizing your routines is about looking at the little things and finding ways to take that summer feeling with you into the school year.
Take the Summer for Yourself
This is your time to rest, relax, and find what makes you light up inside. How amazing would it be to come back to school in September with a game plan for making the year FEEL the way you want it to in a way that’s sustainable?
Now is the time to unlearn those toxic rules of productivity and find the little sustainable rituals you can bring with you into the school year.
Want a low effort way to reflect on your school year? Grab my free Teacher Reflection Mini Journal with prompts for letting go of your stress and moving forward into your joyful era.
How are you redefining your life in the classroom? Let me know in the comments!
Until next week, friends.