I think it is safe to say that many people struggle with the concept of work-life balance when their jobs require them to work hours beyond the typical 9 to 5. Often times, the things that are neglected the most when teetering on that fine line have to do with their own personal health, namely fitness and nutrition. This became a very real situation for me throughout my first two years as a teacher. Teaching is a beautifully intricate art that requires an awkward balance between being knowledgeable and relatable, personable and stern, creative and strategic. Every moment within the classroom is an assessment and reassessment of how to compliment an ever-changing multitude of personalities in hopes of keeping the attention of students who would much rather be staring at a screen. This alone requires us to be at the highest level of attentiveness that we can manage for at least seven hours each day. Every single day. Then we must factor in the actual teaching part of the job: creating and recreating assignments with the unattainable goal of making them universally effective. Throughout the year, we inevitably see students at their best and their worst, when they succeed and fail, when they are healthy and ill. It’s no longer just a question of being an educator, but also being a role model, a counselor, a mentor, and many times, a shoulder to cry on. And then, we have to grade papers. After tackling all of these things over the course of the workday, it is no surprise that I also struggled with finding my work-life balance. When I got home from work, it was much easier to grab some pre-made microwaveable meal with a ton of salt and fat for dinner than to grill up some chicken breast and make a fresh salad. And certainly I had no time or energy to even think about exercising. During my first two years of teaching, I gained weight more rabidly than in any other period of my life. Once I made the commitment to lose weight, however, I made a personal promise to afford myself an hour each day to exercise. So, at the end of every work day, I suited up and headed to the gym. I received some dissent in regard to this decision. “Wow, Crystal. Leaving already?” was a typical response from other teachers who were known for burning the midnight oil. It made me a little self-conscious. I did not want to earn the reputation for being the teacher who runs out of the school before even the students have the chance. After all, this could not have been further from the case. Each night after I settled in at home, I graded papers and planned lessons just like those teachers who remained within the confines of the school building. Soon I began to see the positive effects of taking this hour for myself each day, effects far beyond just weight loss or physical fitness. I learned to ignore the condescending judgement I received from coworkers and see this commitment as an integral part of my success as an educator. The most obvious positive is the ability to relieve some stress, a natural product of exercising. For me, part of this relief is a result of being focused on something entirely different. When I am in the middle of a workout, I am 100% concentrated on completing the task at hand. It is one of the few precious moments during my day when the ever growing pile of work that I’ll eventually have to address is not nagging at me from the back of my mind. I am fully devoted to operating within that moment, and I have no concern for how I should tweak the lesson I gave that day, nor what work I’ll have to tackle once I get home. This release of tension results in allowing me to go home and do all of that work more effectively and efficiently. It also keeps me from getting so stressed out that I go into work the next day in a bad mood. As we all know, teenagers are fragile creatures, and even one moment of negative interaction can have a huge bearing on them. I never want any of my students to feel as though I dislike them or have intentionally disrespected them. Therefore, I believe keeping my anxiety levels in check is a benefit to them, as well as to myself. Going to a gym where coaches run the classes also allows me to always remember what it’s like to be in the role of the novice. I believe that losing sight of what it’s like to work hard to learn something, to experience failures, and to achieve success would make me a complacent, and therefore ineffective, teacher. Being able to understand the point of view of a student on a daily basis allows me to have a superior understanding of my own students’ feelings and needs as they grapple to understand equally complicated concepts. The simple fact of the matter is that a teacher who takes no time to focus on him/herself cannot sustain effective teaching practices over the course of several years. Just the same holds true for doctors, lawyers, accountants, hair stylists, managers, salesmen, etc. I choose to focus on myself through exercise, and it has been a positive and effective way to not only maintain my good health, but also to be the best professional that I can be.
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August 2017
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