Power through with...relationship reconnection

<p>Has your workload created a huge strain on your family, friendships, and/or marriage/partnership?<br />  <br /> Being a teacher often means making an impossible choice: when you’re focused on your loved ones, you feel like you’re neglecting your students. When you’re focused on your students, you feel like you’re neglecting your loved ones. Trying to add on your own wellbeing and self-care just compounds the guilt.<br />  <br /> <strong>My encouragement to you today is to think about the relationships you have that enhance your confidence, wellbeing, and energy levels. Who are the people whose presence is caring and life-giving to you? How can you choose to prioritize interactions with those folks?</strong><br />  <br /> You might strengthen those relationships through a quick daily text message, or a deeper conversation on the phone while you’re cleaning or exercising. You might be having a cup of coffee together every other week, or carve out some time each Friday night to be together.<br />  <br /> <strong>This isn’t just about how good it feels to be connected with folks you love.</strong> That’s super important for lots of mental health reasons, especially right now when so many of our relationships are strained by the pandemic.<br />  <br /> <strong>This is about investing your time and energy into something meaningful and lasting that is NOT tied to your profession.</strong><br />  <br /> It’s so easy to get caught up in the urgency of our work in schools: the kids need so much, and we’re running out of time this year to do All The Things. <br />  <br /> We can often spend the whole weekend worrying about this student’s reading level and that one’s standard mastery and what’s happening at home for another one. <br />  <br /> All of these things matter. Your students matter. Your work matters.<br />  <br /> <strong>But sometimes it helps to remember that teaching is a career, and your career is just one part of your life. </strong><br />  <br /> <strong>Being a teacher is not your entire identity, and it