Happy New Year! Mid-school year is a time of renewal when you come back from ‘vacation’. Two-ish weeks jam packed with get togethers, last minute holiday preparations, and the twilight zone week where no one really knows what day it is, sometimes, you come back still feeling that out-of-sorts-not-ready-for-it sort of tired. So how do you go about Finding Motivation to get back into it?
Pick Stuff for You
I’m not talking about self-care. I’m talking about lesson plans! Getting back into the swing of things can be hard, so pick your favorite activities for the first week back. Pick a favorite song from your concept plan, pick your favorite composer as the musician of the week, bring out your favorite manipulative, or teach your favorite folk dance. Give yourself some things that will ease the sting of going back because you know that it hits different when your students LOVE your favorite game too.
Set your Calendar
New planner? Make sure you write in all your personal dates first: birthdays, anniversaries, family get togethers, your kid’s events, and what’s important to you. Then add your down time necessities (like day after concert massages). Then you can put in school events.
Plan a Mental Health Day
Even if you don’t take a day off for it, make sure you leave time in the first few weeks especially to make sure you have time for you, time off work, or time to do some self-care. For me, one of my most important things in January for me is the Michigan Music Conference. It’s great to see all my music teacher friends and get some professional rejuvenation.
Positive Reinforcement
If you are adding in some New Year Resolutions, first, take a peek at this post and let me highly recommend one of these resolutions! If you are successful in an endeavor, if you say no to something, or if you just made it through a staff meeting without rolling your eyes, then give yourself some positive reinforcement. Add $5 into your coffee budget, fun shopping fund, or let yourself have your favorite treat without guilt (cause its way better to give into one craving and enjoy it because food isn’t bad for you but that’s another story for another day).
Give In
Not motivated, can’t find it, and don’t want to? SO WHAT? Go home, put on your PJs, a movie, order a pizza on a Tuesday and have a night off with your fam, your friends or just yourself. Who says you can’t? No one.
Happy New Year!
