Why I Quit Trying

A wise Jedi master once said, "Do or Do Not. There is no try." 

Now, how does this apply to teaching you might say? 

Well, I'm glad you asked. 

Raise your hand if in the past you have set out to try something and failed miserably. (Now I know that this could be quite awkward if you are reading this in a public place such as a Starbucks). 

However, odds are that many of us can relate to trying and failing. So then where do we go from here? What seems to be the problem?

Well, my friend,  the problem lies with the trying. We need to stop trying and start doing!

We also need to know when not doing is the answer. Teachers have so much on their plate. It is important to recognize that it is okay to say "NO" sometimes.

According to an article from the Washington Post, teachers work an average of 10 hours and 40 minutes per day. If you do the math that's a whopping 53 hours a week! 

I wonder how many of those hours are spent trying vs. doing. 

According to numerous studies it has been shown that working longer hours actually decreases your productivity. 

In other words in an attempt to try to do more we are actually accomplishing less. 

I know at this point you might be thinking, "Is a 40 hour work week even possible for a teacher?" Between all of the meetings, professional development, planning, grading... it seems as though only someone with superpowers could accomplish all of those tasks in 40 hours or less. 

So how do we get it done?

It all comes down to prioritizing what needs to be done vs. trying to do everything. 

In the words of Elsa sometimes we need to just... 🎶Let it go🎶

That parent that is calling you for the third time this week, and after hours I might add...Let it go!

The bulletin board outside your room that hasn't been updated since last month...Let it go!

Those closets and drawers in your classroom that are overflowing, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about...Let them go!

The big key in all of this is after you let it go...DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT!

There will be time for those things later. The important thing is to take care of yourself so you are able to take care of your students. That is after all what is most important.

It is okay to cut yourself some slack every once in a while. Let me say that again. IT IS OKAY TO GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE!

So teacher friends your next step is to figure out what things on your list you need to do and what things you need to let go.

Good luck and may the force be with you!

Carly

I hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!


We would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave your feedback in the comments. We can't wait to connect with you!