Part of the #ETCoaches Blog Challenge.
See my other weekly posts:
What is my Purpose?
Challenges and Successes
Current Tools, Problems, and Successes
Influential Blogs
What is Next in Blogging?
Everyone has challenges and success at work, but working in a job which is less than a decade old – in the education industry which is much older – is full of unique challenges and successes.
Last year was tough for me. With a crazy combination of schedule changes at home and fewer hands to help I was stressed. By the end of the school year I was past exhausted and to a new place I do not plan on revisiting.
It is too easy to get that far gone. And educators are easy prey – we take on extra duties because it’s for the kids. And our bosses aren’t out to get us, but they will let us work as hard as we want to, who can blame them?
So, my biggest area for improvement is to improve my work:life balance. I am setting some boundaries for myself this school year – in fact, I have already started enforcing them.
My current role is ever-changing; I gave up waiting on doing-the-same-thing-twice a few years ago, more like six. My work group takes on district initiatives in educational technologies, leads school-based instructional technologists, and tries to bring together the different facets of the spectrum within our district for a more cohesive environment of innovative teaching and learning.
As someone who has always been challenged to embrace change this is a job that challenges me, but helps me empathize with those not certain about change. I do like the fact that I am in a position to bring positive change AND that I can smooth the change for those who need help acclimating to all things new. I think that while it is ironic that I am in a position of almost constant change, I am perfectly suited to help those paralyzed by change ease into it.
My challenges and successes are often measured on a smaller scale than my prior achievements 120-at-a-time, but I hope they are just as far-reaching!
2016-09-13 at 6:22 am
Wonderful thoughts, Penny,
The idea of balance for any educator is a constant struggle. I applaud you for not only setting boundaries but enforcing them. I hope this helps you be more consistent this year.
And please don’t assume your successes are measured on a smaller scale. Even though you don’t have the 120-at-a-time successes, you are guiding those that will relay your successes with them to thousands. You are doing incredible work!
Best,
David
2016-09-22 at 8:21 am
Thanks for the encouragement David!
2016-09-13 at 2:58 pm
Thanks for sharing your challenges. We all face multiple challenges during the course of day, but how much time to we spend prioritizing those challenges to find the struggles most worthy of our effort? Its far too easy to become consumed with the urgent and lose sight of the important. I too enjoy working in a position that helps bring change and having a voice in the change process. Now to working on my post for week two . . . .
Gregory Gilmore recently posted…What is the Purpose of My Blog? #ETCoaches Blog Challenge Week 1
2016-09-23 at 9:18 pm
Work/Life Balance? What’s that?
I only kid. I think I know what it means.
This year I started a new job and have slowly been trying to figure out the work life balance. My previous job was usually on 12 to 13 hours a day, but it was okay, as I worked with my wife. Now, we work about an hour apart and I need to be able to be home at a reasonable hour so I have been trying to set the boundaries and enforce them. I found a lot of encouragement in a book that I read over the summer called “Rocking the Boat: How to Effect Change without Making Trouble” by Debra Meyerson. While the book is not directed towards educators, I found it helpful with some of the simple lead by example steps that professionals can take to help change mindsets and perceptions.
Daniel Mares recently posted…#ETCoaches Blog Challenge Post #2 – Perspective Is My Key!
2016-09-24 at 11:43 am
Thanks for the recent addition to my reading list friend – the struggle for a balance is real!