Getting ready for 2021: Work Load

When you decided to become a teacher, it definitely wasn't for the money or the work load. Planning, teaching, assessing, meetings; repeat. The work load of a teacher is something that can make or break you as a person. I know too many teachers that are significantly over worked - four meetings a week; over assessing of students; reporting every term - why why why?

This is something that has been spoken about widely from teachers across New Zealand and how they feel with their work load. There are some things that can't be helped e.g. reporting, assessing, planning. Those are all part of the job and need to completed. But there are some ways you can help create a more positive work load for you in your first job, or in your current position. 
Rest is okay, so before you even continue reading, taking time for yourself is a MUST! Every day take time for yourself so that you can continue to be positive about your job and your career. 

Creating and sorting your life or work load into four sections will help you achieve and attain a healthy work load. 

1. Urgent & Important = things that are both urgent and important in your job or daily work expectation. 
2. Not Urgent & Important = things that aren't urgent but are definitely important to your job and daily work expectation. 
3. Urgent & Not Important = things that are urgent but are not important to your current daily work expectation
4. Not Urgent & Not Important = things that are not urgent and not important to your current daily work expectation

Taking time to prioritise, plan, and sort out what you currently need to complete each day will help to achieve a healthy work load, healthy mindset and also take some stress away from your life. 

Two big things I learnt early on was when to say no and when to ask for help. As an active relaxer, it can be tricky for me to actually say NO. I can say no, but then do it later when I have some time. But something I am working on is saying no, and actually not doing it. There are some things that actually don't need to be done and those are the things that can wait until later. If you use that time to spend on yourself or with your family instead - what a great positive impact that will have!

Something I love using and will continue to use in 2021 is Google Keep. A digital note taker app on my phone and laptop where I can write down things I need to do, things I am working on and things I should continue to work on when forward planning. This is free to use and automatically syncs between devices making it handy for those quick reminders and updating that needs to happen. 

Work load is vital maintaining a happy and healthy mindset with teaching. Your school might have some practices, expectations or routines in place to support this; and if at any time you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or upset; reach out and talk to someone. There are many avenues of support with NZEI being one of them.