My first year of teaching was a nightmare. Despite all of my training, despite my degrees and certifications, I felt like I only had two options that year: Sink or swim.
I quit my first teaching job just a couple of weeks into the school year. I wasn't getting the support I needed from my administration and I was running myself ragged. I would get leave for school between 5-5:30am, work from 6:30am-4pm, then leave around 5:30-6pm with work in my bag. I COULD NOT keep this up; and low and behold, I didn't.
After finding a new job a few weeks later, it wasn't until I started to prioritize myself that I was able to better manage it all. I worked out as soon as I got home (I literally left my gym clothes at my front door so I didn't have to think about it), I would read books I wanted to read rather than assignments I had to grade, I kept as much work as I could at the school, I meal prepped lunches for the week on Sundays, and I made sure to maintain my friendships outside of the workplace (making phone calls weekly to my fellow HGSE alum was a must!).
That's why Prep and Reflect created this journal specifically for teachers. It wasn't until I became intentional about my self-care that I was able to do it. And this would've helped me even more, having it down in writing, tracking my progress, and seeing how well I was taking care of myself.
This journal was my first idea when I started Prep and Reflect, and it's one of the products I am most proud of.
Find it now on prepandreflect.com: Meditate & Reflect - A Journal for Teachers
