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It’s September and the beginning of a new school year.
Filed Under Behaviour Management, Goals, SOS for Teachers, Teacher Support, The way I see it
It’s September again and the beginning of the new school year. I think of each September as the beginning of a new adventure or a new journey. Just like any journey, there’s always so much to see and do. I know my journey as a classroom teacher will provide me with many expected and unexpected opportunities to explore, experience and contribute to the landscape of school. I also know that in order to enjoy the journey, I can’t over extend myself. I need to limit what I do even though I might want to do it all. So while I’m thinking of what I need to do at the beginning of the school year and how I want to contribute to school life, I also need to think about how to limit what I will do and how I will do that. I have decided to say yes more slowly and even to say no sometimes.
Thanks to Brenda, I have some strategies. When someone asks me to do something, I can ask
May I ask why you’re asking me?
Have you asked anyone else?
Have you considered asking X? She’s got some experience with this.
When you say “urgent,” what does that mean? What’s the latest it can be done by?
How much time will this take?
If I could do only part of this, what part would you like me to do?
What does “finished” look like for this?
What should I not do so I can do this?
(Excerpt from Do More Great Work, p. 90-91)
Depending on the answers I get, I can decide what new tasks to take on. Like so many other busy people, I’m often asked to do more and more. Usually, I don’t mind, but sometimes it gets to be too much. Then life isn’t fun any more. I guess people subscribe to the old adage if you want something done give it to a busy person. If I get too busy though, I’m not effective- so what’s the point.
How do you prevent yourself from getting too busy? What strategies do you use to help limit yourself so that you can be the most effective.
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I’m naturally a notch beyond the inability to say no: I have difficulty not volunteering when no one else does. I realize this can be extremely detrimental to me, so I’ve learned to tell myself (over and over) that I can’t possibly be responsible for everything.
When something comes up at a meeting that I don’t have time for but no one speaks up, I try to go into a sort of meditative state to remain calm and remind myself it’s someone else’s turn.
Mme,
Good strategy. I’ll have to remember that.