How to Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance as a Preschool Teacher

Many teachers know that having a healthy work-life balance is a challenge. We are expected to respond to parent emails after work, create lesson plans over the weekend, and even prep for the new school year weeks before school starts. Not having a healthy work-life balance can have serious impacts on your health, relationships, and overall life. Finding that sweet spot between work and personal life will help you build a long-lasting career in teaching. 

Here are 4 strategies you can start implementing in your life to create a healthy work-life balance:

1. Respect your time 
   Teachers know better than anyone else what it’s like to stay past your working hours. We do it so often that some of us end up staying as late as 7pm without realizing how late it actually is. Some of us stay up until midnight marking papers, planning events/trips, responding to emails, etc. The first step to gaining your personal life back is to give yourself time constraints. Set a time for yourself where you completely stop working, one that does not go past 2 hours after dismissal. Put an alarm on your phone if you have to and try to remind parents at the beginning of the school year that you will not respond to emails after that time.

2. Shut off technology
   Remember that time you set for yourself to stop working? That is the time you’re going to shut down any work related technology. This means shutting down your school computer or laptop, turning off notifications from your school email, or logging out of any educational platforms you may use. 

3. Take care of yourself
   Overworking yourself can have negative effects on your physical and mental health. Always make you and your health priority. If you’re up till 2am responding to emails and you typically go to bed at 11pm, you are losing out on 3 hours of sleep. This can lead to  shortened temper, lowered energy level, and brain fog. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, talk to your supervisor to discuss your concerns and game-plan for a better work life. 

4. Don't forget you have friends and family
   It is incredibly easy to forget that you have a life outside of school. You become consumed with work, that it takes over your entire life. Take time to schedule dinners and activities with friends and family. A simple walk around your neighborhood makes a huge difference.  

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