Best Way to Get a Life Outside of Teaching

Having a social life outside of teaching might seem like a dream to some teachers, particularly those who are new to the profession, but it is possible.

In the initial stages of training, the NQT year, and indeed, anything up to the third year of teaching, it can seem like your entire life is taken up with teaching. For many it is also a very addictive career, where they actually enjoy putting their hearts and souls into their profession.

It is certainly no bad thing to be passionate about your career, and have a positive drive and a desire to succeed: but it is also essential to maintain some balance between work and home life. As I have already said, if you don’t make time for other interests outside of teaching, there is a danger that you can end up forgetting what kind of person you were before you taught.

Keeping your social and working life separate can seem impossible at first, but you must set yourself a clear dividing line and absolutely refuse to cross it at any cost! Whatever it is that is driving you teach­ing may be your dream job, or you are simply desperate to pass your induction with flying colours – you must make time to look after your­self.

•  Don’t let teaching absorb you or your free time set yourself clear limits.
•  Give yourself realistic deadlines for school and housework -make sure you also have free time to relax.
•  Don’t neglect your family and friends make time for outside interests and socializing.
•  Consider alternative therapies to help manage stress, such as aromatherapy, massage, yoga or meditation, or some form of sport.
• Although it might be tempting to use the holidays to catch up on work, give yourself a break too. You deserve it.
•  Eat sensibly and healthily and get plenty of sleep – don’t try to burn the candle at both ends just to get more work done.
•  You are not Superman or Superwoman: accept your limitations as a human being and don’t take on more work than you can realistically handle.
•  If you find yourself turning down social events because you are ‘too busy’, then you are not managing your time effectively. Your career may be important, but so are you!

Remember: if you found out that you only had one year left to live, would you still think your career was worth sacrificing your free time and social life for? Remind yourself why you wanted to become a teacher but don’t let your job take over your life.