Teacher's Ed with Edward DeShazer
In today's world, being a teacher and educator can be empowering, inspiring, and rewarding. Educating the next generation can also be exhausting, frustrating, and disheartening. Teacher's Ed was created to motivate, encourage, and uplift teachers and educators to inspire you for the week ahead.
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Teacher's Ed with Edward DeShazer
Mastering Boundaries: Empowering Educators to Reclaim Time and Well-being
Ever felt like the demands of the classroom are pulling you in too many directions, leaving no room for personal time? Discover how to reclaim your schedule and mental well-being with practical boundary-setting strategies in our latest episode of the Teachers Ed Podcast. Host Edward DeShazer sheds light on the necessity of defining work hours and the art of saying no to non-essential commitments. By setting clear expectations with colleagues, students, administrators, and parents, educators can transform their work-life balance, fostering a healthier and more productive environment both professionally and personally.
Prepare to be empowered with actionable advice on preserving energy and protecting precious personal time. We discuss the profound impact of dedicating at least one day or evening each week solely to self-care, emphasizing that rest is not a luxury but a critical component of effective teaching. Through real-life examples and expert insights, this episode is a treasure trove of tips for educators at any stage of their career, from teachers to principals and counselors. Join us to explore how establishing firm boundaries can help you show up as the best version of yourself, benefiting your students, family, and your own well-being.
www.EdwardDeShazer.org
All right, welcome to Teachers Ed Podcast, the place where the best and brightest in education come to be inspired, to connect, to learn and to grow. I'm your host, edward DeShazer. Today's topic is one we've been going over, but we're going to go just a little bit deeper today and that is setting boundaries deeper today. And that is setting boundaries. And let's face it, as teachers, as principals, as educators, as counselors, whatever you do in a school, you are often being pulled a million different directions. The endless emails, all the after school committees, the coaching, and then let's talk about all the personal things as a parent, as a spouse, as a kid, you know, as a son, daughter, whatever other titles you have, you are being pulled a million different directions. And the request for do you just have one second? That we know turn into 45 minute calls and that can feel overwhelming, and that often happens. And that that feeling of overwhelm comes when we don't have boundaries and usually what follows is we begin to burn out. So today I want to give you three practical tips for setting boundaries so you are able to protect your time, protect your energy, protect your mental health. More than anything, that is what is critical. So tip number one. We want to set work hours and stick to them. Someone listening is like well, I have my contract hours and I'm not talking about your contract hours, although there's a lot of people like. My contract says I work from 715 to 307 and at 307, I'm done working. If you feel that way, I'm not going to sit here and argue with you. What I'm telling you is it is OK to work beyond your contract hours, but what I'm also going to tell you is you should not be only working outside of your contract hours. So one of the things I always encourage an educator to do is set boundaries around those work hours. Teaching is a job that can easily consume your entire life if you allow it and if you let it. But you are not a better teacher just because you are working 24-7. There was such a grind culture of well, you know, teachers were almost competing to see who was doing more work. Well, I got here at 6.30 am. Oh, I got there at 6.15 am. You know, that was the culture where I first got an education almost 20 years ago. That is not the culture that we need to be having, because, whatever it is, the work is still going to be there tomorrow, so setting those clear hours and committing to them. For example, maybe your contract ends at 3.07, but you say that after 5 pm I'm no longer answering emails, I'm no longer grading papers, I'm no longer planning lessons, and I know that's hard at first, but the work is gonna be there. The papers aren't going where, they're not gonna get legs and crawl off your desk. They'll be sitting there waiting for you when you show up tomorrow.
Speaker 1:It's one thing for us to set the boundaries, but it's also critical that we communicate the boundaries to the people that are around us, whether they are your teachers on the hall, your students, your administrators, your principals and even the parents. You know parents will step all over the boundaries. You start answering texts at 9 pm at night. You're going to start getting more texts at 9 pm at night. Text at 9 pm at night. You're going to start getting more texts at 9 pm at night.
Speaker 1:So one of the things I actually have in my email signature just to help people acknowledge that I understand that people have boundaries and let me pull it up is my email has a self-care notice and it says receiving this email outside of normal work hours. Question mark. Managing work amongst our other responsibilities, is unique for everyone. I've sent this email at a time that works best for me. Please respond at a time that works best for you. So it's very critical that I'm communicating with others, that, hey, maybe this email came out at five in the morning. I'm not expecting you to respond at five in the morning. This is just the time that works best for me. Please respond when a time works best for you.
Speaker 1:So setting the boundary is one thing, but as educators, often we set the boundaries but then we don't communicate with others what those boundaries are and they step all over them. But the thing I want us to really know and understand is boundaries aren't barriers. They are bridges to a better health, a stronger performance for you as a person, as an educator. And by setting work hours, you are not being lazy. You're being intentional about showing up during those hours as your best self. And if you're thinking, you know my school expects me to be available all the time. I want you to remember this. You teach people how to treat you. If you make yourself available 24, seven people are going to assume that that is the norm. So I want us this week to start small, set one boundary and then build from there.
Speaker 1:And before I move into the next tip, I want to take a second to highlight Be Well Teacher Academy. Be Well Teacher Academy is a community that is designed specifically for educators like yourself who want to prioritize their self-care and prioritize their mental wellness. You get access to live events. We just had one yesterday, we have another one coming up on Sunday, january 26th. We have resources to help you set boundaries, manage stress and find more balance in your life. And, as I said, don't forget, there's an event next week. I have three other dynamic speakers that are going to be coming in to pour into you next week. It is free to everyone. That is a part of the community. The first seven days are free. So head over to wwwbewellteachercom and sign up today. So if you're listening to this today and it's Sunday, if you sign up tomorrow, the first seven days are free. So you can even get the first event for free and decide you don't like it, and you can leave before you have to pay a dollar. So there's no risk. So join today, wwwbewellteachercom, all right.
Speaker 1:Tip number two is learning to say no with grace. Saying no can be uncomfortable, especially for teachers and educators, who are often the most selfless people in their families. We are used to being the ones that are constantly saying yes to everything and everyone that gets put on our plate. But I want us to think that if you say yes to every extra committee, if you say yes to every after school event, if you say yes to every request from a parent, every request from a student, you will find yourself completely drained. So I want to talk about how you can say no with grace.
Speaker 1:First, one is acknowledging the request that is being asked of you, you know, and saying thank you. You know, principal asks you hey, edward, you want to be on this committee, you know. Thank you for thinking of me. You, we always want to start by acknowledging the request and sharing gratitude. Second, after that, I want you to offer a clear but kind response. I wish I could help, but I don't have the capacity to take that on right now. You know, I I would love to join that community, but I just don't have the bandwidth. And finally, and if it is appropriate, to whomever you are setting or saying no, to offer an alternative, have you considered asking so-and-so for support? You know they might be a great fit for what you are looking for, a great fit for what you are looking for.
Speaker 1:And this is powerful because when you start to say no to things that don't align with your priorities, it allows you the ability and the bandwidth to say yes to things that are more important. You are preserving your energy for your students, for your family, for you, for your well-being and for just other things that are very important to you, and remembering that saying no isn't selfish. Saying no is strategic. It is how you protect your energy so that you can give the best to what truly matters. Every time you say yes to something, you are taking time away from and saying no to something else. So I want us this week to be intentional with our yeses and do not feel guilty for setting limits.
Speaker 1:Tip number three protecting your personal time. As teachers, we are wired to put everyone else's needs ahead of our own, so I want us to really start looking at our personal time as being something that is sacred, and protecting it is going to be essential for your self-care and for your mental health. I want us to start by carving out at least one day or evening each week just for you. Or evening each week just for you no grading papers, no emails, no thinking about lesson plans, no, nothing. Use that time to do something that helps you fill your cup, whether it's spending time with loved ones, maybe it's reading a book with that candle, a hobby painting. I always say this grading papers is not a hobby or just relaxing. You know, for me, I love to golf. That is how I well, obviously I can't cause it's winter time, but that is how I recharge my battery.
Speaker 1:But then the thing is, when you set that time, if someone tries to creep and encroach in on that time, I want you to hold firm, politely, let them know that you know I already have plans. Or, and some of the thing too, is people like, hey, do you want to do this? And you don't have plans, but you don't want to go. Maybe your plans are doing nothing at home and that is a plan. You know we get guilty thinking well, I don't have anything, I was just going to relax on the couch, and then you go and jump at. You know, at dinners with friends and family, all these other things are in the week. Doing nothing is a plan and I want us to understand that, because you can say no and hold firm. Even if those plans are just to sit on the couch and watch your favorite Netflix show, that is still a plan. So don't think you have to be busy to have plans.
Speaker 1:Your personal time has to be, and must be, non-negotiable. Rest is not a luxury for educators. It has to be a necessity when you take care of yourself as a person, when you take care of yourself as a mother, when you take care of yourself as a father, everyone else benefits. No-transcript. You deserve rest, you deserve joy and you deserve to feel whole, not just for your students, but, most importantly, you deserve to feel whole for yourself. So a quick recap of what we did.
Speaker 1:Number one tit. Number one set work hours and stick to them. Whether it's, you know, my contract hours start at seven, my work hours start at 7. My contract says I end at 3.07. And I work until 5 pm is when I'm done checking emails. But you have to set those hours and know in your head what works best. And then, most importantly, you got to stick to them. Some of y'all are setting stuff and you're not sticking to it and you're wondering why it's failing.
Speaker 1:Number two learning to say no with grace. So make sure that when someone asks you, you start by acknowledging and then, after you acknowledge you, let them know you can't, and, if it works, you can offer them a solution. Hey, have you tried this person? I think they could be good at that. Maybe they'd be able to help you. And then, last and most importantly and not least, protecting your personal time. We have to make sure that we have time carved out for ourselves, and it's set up like a meeting that you just can't miss. And I want us to remember that boundaries aren't about shutting people out. They are about letting the right things in. They are how you protect your time, they are how you protect your energy, they are how you protect your mental health, so you can show up as the best version of yourself.
Speaker 1:And again, I want to thank you all for tuning in to this week's episode of the Teachers Ed podcast. If this resonates with you, I would ask you to share us with a colleague. Please like, please subscribe, and don't forget to check out Be Well Teacher Academy wwwbewellteachercom. If you're listening right now it is Sunday. Wait till tomorrow. Sign up, you get set First. Seven days are free, which means you will get our first big event, a two-hour virtual event, virtual experience that will be for free, wwwbewellteachercom. And until next time, take care of yourselves and make sure that you continue to protect your peace so you can be the best you, on a day-to-day basis, take care, thank you.