Early Staff Meeting? Try these 3 strategies to ditch the stress
I’m writing this on the morning of an early staff meeting at my school. I’ve known about it for months, yet now that the day is here, I’ve noticed a shift in my mental state. Yesterday I began to dread this entire day because I know what a faculty meeting means. Cue the stress.
In this season of my life, most days I’m lucky if I make it to school with 5 minutes to spare. Leaving the house on time with a toddler is dicey at best. All it takes is one objection to the routine and we are derailed in our travel time. Throw in an extra early meeting, and our butts have to be out of the house a whole 20 minutes earlier than usual.
It’s not only leaving my house earlier that is causing this shift I’m feeling (and likely you are too on days like this). My mornings in my classroom are for me. Even though most days it’s only 10 minutes before the kids come in, those 10 minutes are precious. I can be alone in my classroom – slides up for the day, papers organized, mind right. I can take a few sips of coffee and fully enjoy them before the mess of the day hits me like a freight train.
Those 10 minutes won’t be happening today. In fact, the kids will be outside of my classroom door before I even get out of my meeting. The requests and needs and questions will come in quick – and I still need to use the bathroom.
And where will my mind be? My mind will be filled with all of the new information that was just thrown at me. Processing events, schedule changes, new mandates and trainings, oh yeah – that monthly fire drill, don’t forget to put that on the calendar – PBIS initiatives and being made to feel inadequate even though I know I am doing my job and doing it well.
If I’m not careful, I’ll likely spend the rest of the day playing catch up – I’ll feel anxious all day because I feel behind in all aspects. There will be more to do and less time to do it. I’ll want to debrief with my team (because hello – did Sally really need to ask THAT question at the end of the meeting?!).
And then I’ll complain that I never get a minute to myself. And my patience will be thin and I’ll feel annoyed rather quickly with my job.
Can you relate?
I understand completely that coming together as a staff is important. It’s part of a community and imperative that all messaging is being received in the same way. Believe me, I get the importance of it.
But I also get that this is one of the many problems with education. Taking time away from teachers to fill other agendas and expecting them to continue on with their days as usual. No adjustment in the schedule, no time to process the information, no shift whatsoever.
To avoid the negativity, I realized I need to look at my early morning meeting in a different way. There’s nothing I can do to change it – the meeting is happening whether I like it or not. So how can I set myself up for a better day even with everything that’s stacked against me?
Try these 3 steps for a smoother transition into a faculty meeting day:
- Give yourself more time in the morning – this sounds simple and obvious. But what I mean is give yourself the space and time to give your mind and your body what it needs to encourage a calmer day. For example, today I spent 5 extra minutes on my Peloton for a better sweat and opted for the 10-minute meditation.
- Journal about it – seriously. Let it rip. Write about your frustrations, your worries, your doubts, your qualms. Acknowledge that they exist and quit trying to push them away for the sake of “just dealing with it.” These mornings are hard! Especially if you are a parent.
- Stay present – one of my biggest struggles is planning too far ahead in my mind and analyzing the time I have left before I need to be somewhere or do something. This pattern skyrockets my stress levels and it;s because I am not being present. So, when you notice yourself drifting off into worrying about the traffic, parking spots, or getting to school on time- pause and breathe. You know you are trying your best to get out of your house on time. Give yourself permission to just be in the moment. Stop worrying about being late, because truthfully, what’s the worst that can happen? Life happens. It’s a small problem. What matters is you stay kind to your family, kind to yourself, and kind to your future emotional and mental state.
- Bonus tip – plan to leave on time. Walk out of that classroom at contract time – no questions asked. And while you’re at it, plan a little joy when you get home. A favorite meal, beverage, or hobby. Give yourself something good to look forward to that has nothing to do with school.
Faculty meetings are a part of the job. Our time is limited just as our admin’s time is limited. Allowing yourself space to live in the “yuck” of the meeting days is important. You can live in those moments without letting them ruin your entire day.
Stay Balanced
If you want a little more support, a cheerleader in your ear who has been there, to remind you of these strategies (and more), check out my audio activations, The Teacher Reset. Lifetime access to a growing bundle of audio clips you can use anytime during your teaching day. They’re quick and to the point, leaving you feeling more balanced and focused during the day.
And if you’re really looking to change the trajectory of your teaching path and ditch the burnout, fill out an interest form (below) for coaching. I will review your form and if we are a good fit, I’ll reach out to schedule a free, no-strings-attached, 20-minute virtual call. We can chat about your big goals and make a plan to free yourself from the “just a teacher” life.
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