We all want students to learn what we teach. We really want it to stick. As educators during this "new normal" pandemic world of teaching and maintaining professional goals, the "hours of operation" have decimated work-life balance. I see so many people on my social media feeds posting about their day with kids hovering around and the hours being so much longer, and their work space being spread all over the place.
I get it. I have been working from home for almost 9 years now. My husband too. There are so many mistakes to work-life balance that I thought I would write a few down to keep others from the same time wasting traps I fell into.
Working into the evening goes both ways. It can be a blessing and a curse. I will often wake up at 5 AM during the work week to answer emails and I will also sneak in more at 9 or 10 PM as well, But I also get to walk to the mailbox holding hands with my husband...everyday. About 2 years ago we made a pact to do this simple 1 min task together. I also find time throughout the day with this trade-off to fold a load of laundry or empty the dishwasher. Placing a silver lining on the time exchange is necessary. BUT - here is the big BUT. The work will always be there. I was in a trap several years ago where I thought if I could just clear this inbox, or if I just mine the data tonight, then tomorrow will allow me to go into a deeper level of productivity. That is a lie. There will be more emails tomorrow and there will be more _______, insert whatever you thought you were getting ahead of.
There are also the immediate wins that we see people joke about. Like no commute, being able to wear pajamas to work, not wasting the time to slap on make-up or tie that tie, but there are lies that hide beneath these too. I learned very early on that not dressing for the day can still leave you empty at the end of it no matter how productive you thought you were. You can actually trick yourself into a sort of self loathing after some time. Dressing for the day sets the tone. Even if you enjoy jeans and a t-shirt, get up, shower and put them on. The commute time for me was always about growing myself. Whether a podcast, a book, or talk radio the drive time was quiet time spent on me. That time is harder to find now.
Taking time to plan your day will make a huge difference. There are many people that are to-do list adverse because we all know things come up and not getting to the last box or two are a real downer. Creating a to-do list each day can keep you from falling into the "what? It's-2-o'clock-and-I-havent-accomplished-anything" trap. To-do lists are good, but don't over fill it. If my kiddo comes to me mid-day, because they do and will, I want to be able to enjoy the art, game or thing they feel is important. I try to make sure that whatever time I am flexing for work, that it is a priority to keep my family time in place. Kids are only kids for so long. Insert the classic Cat's in the cradle, by Cat Stevens here.
The last pitfall I'll bring up of the work from home life is workspace. I have tried the bedroom, the living room, I even bought a she-shed to work out of. It boiled down to needing to decide on a space and make that space THE SPACE. Moving the office around the house gets taxing. You cant find a pen or sticky note. Having a private or confidential phone conversation will need to happen, so plan ahead when thinking about where to lay down your work roots in the home. TV will be a distraction. Kids playing will be a distraction. Food being readily available will be a distraction. Set boundaries with yourself when it comes to workspace and be strict enough that you can remain productive.
At the end of the day, this is where we are. Places will open again, but in my opinion enough companies were on the fence about moving this direction that a portion of the new normal will remain in tact. Will you be prepared?
