Summer is a beautiful thing as an educator. We have a truly unique career where we get the chance to rejuvenate and to decompress all things that happened the year before. We also have the freedom to use this time to prepare for another school year.
If there is anyone else like me out there, I cannot count how many times I had come up with a glorious plan to get all this school stuff done in the summer. Only to be let down by my own actions and not do any of it! It was frustrating; I was annoyed by my own letdown of not following through with something I had said I would do. If it were any other person, I would be livid. But yet somehow I still made it through the school year. I still had all my lessons prepared for, I still conducted small groups, and believe it or not students still learned and were successful. Ultimately, I don't think I really ever felt too bad about not accomplishing my summer school plan. After all, whatever I ended up doing in replace of that, was probably what my soul needed at the time. Whether it is binge-watching Netflix, hanging out with friends, spending an hour bumming around the mall, or just simply reading a book, all of those activities would have somehow gotten put off during a regular school year. In the end, I guess I have learned that I cannot feel bad about not doing things for school, because sometimes the soul is more important. If you are one of those ambitious people who can get stuff done in the summer, good for you! I would love to here how you stay motivated to do those things. This summer is a new journey for me as well. I decided I am going to tackle my to-do list before I start my extended contract days in July. Yes, I am actually going to do it! And I know how to hold myself accountable this time! Lists, calendars, and accountability partners are going to keep me motivated. I also have some personal aspects that will keep me motivated as well. It is amazing what you can do when life milestones present themselves. Here is a sneak peek at how I am starting the balance between staying sane and staying motivated: 1. Give yourself two weeks. In the last few years, I have found that two weeks is just the right amount of time for me to get rejuvenated and come back full circle to wanting to busy with school work. Like I said, this is the perfect amount of time for me. Your personal timeline may be different, and that is ok. This year during my two weeks, we went to Florida and moved into our new house. It wasn't two weeks of true vacation, but it was two weeks of me not thinking about school (well, sort of) and just focusing on the part of life that sometimes gets put aside during the school year. By the end of the two weeks, I was scheduled to go to a conference. Honestly, it was tough to get back in that mindset; I was not ready to think about school again. But by the end of the conference, I felt inspired and ready to go home and set some goals. Now, I definitely was not ready for school yet, but I was ready to come home and work independently. 2. Have a calendar. As an educator, I have become addicted to a planner. I admit, I have a true problem; I have to have it. There is something about seeing a blank calendar and filling in events and making to-do lists that just thrills me. And I don't plan on changing any time soon. Summer has always been a tough transition month for planners for me; I like the ones that are built from July to June, that way I do not have to purchase a new planner in the middle of the school year. However, I am very picky about my planners and I have to somehow feel a connection to them (yes, I know it's weird). The planner needs to motivate me in some way when I look at it, otherwise I will not feel compelled to use it. I set aside the month of June to seek out the perfect planner for my upcoming school year, which sometimes leaves me with the month of July without a planner, depending on the one I pick. This pickiness leads me to create a temporary planner for summer. I use one of my old binders, along with some awesome FREE printables, and ta-da! You have a useful, chic planner. Check out one of my previous blogs for a collection of free printables HERE. 3. Set SMART goals. The dreaded smart goals! As an educator, you are probably rolling your eyes at this. You have to deal with smart goals all school year, how dare I bring them up during summer?? Well, there is some validity to them, that is why. This is just a method I like, and it keeps me in check when putting my plans into action. Smart goals keep me from saying, "I am rewriting my whole curriculum this summer," or "I am going to learn everything I can about play therapy,". Instead, I say, " I am going to outline my Kindergarten curriculum over the next ten days." This helps me stay focused and gives me a timeline to hold me accountable. My key to success is keeping it all balanced. And remember, if you do not meet one of your goals, it is OK! Don't beat yourself up about it. Simply accept it, and readjust. Good luck with your summer goals, and keeping the balance!
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Happy Friday everyone!
How is it already almost mid-June?? Our household has been busy moving and taking a hiatus from the mid-Missouri heat, but now that we are back from the soothing shores of Florida, its time to buckle down and enjoy this wonderful summer ahead! With temperatures reaching the 100s today, I felt my time would be best spent today organizing my summer! I know, it sounds pretty lame, but in true teacher form, I know that planning will help me make the most of the summer. Plus, I have blissfully ignored most of my to-do lists for almost two weeks, and I am feeling refreshed and rejuvenated to get back at it! If you are feeling slightly unmotivated, I thought I would share some of my favorite finds for printables and checklists. Trust me, I have scoured the internet looking for the perfect ones, and I am picky enough that I make some of my own. Check out what has helped me organize my life: 1. Scattered Squirrel This blogger has to be commended for her organized life. She has a printable for just about anything; and in about every cute color imaginable! Checkout some of her sweet designs! My favorite are her weekly and daily planner pages. 2. Eliza Ellis These printables are sweet and chic! They quench my calligraphy crush, and are perfect for anyone wanting their planner to be fashionable. 3. Fab N' Free This blog has all the printables for those not-so-common planning events. From holidays to summer fun for kids, she has quite a collection. My favorite is her recipe binder freebie. Bonus: the blog also features design and clip art freebies. Score! 4. Clean Mamma The name says it all: clean, crisp, and beautiful handouts. She has simplified some of the best printables. Click on the name to check them out! 5.I Heart Organizing Simple and colorful pages make this blog a must-have on your favorites toolbar. I love her family vacation printables! They are perfect for the family roadtrip or weekend out of town. My favorite: The house project budget printable. Clink on the name to see the website! Happy planning friends! |
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