How Ms. P Got Her Groove Back

From around the time that I wrote my first post for "from the desk of" I've been struggling to balance my professional and personal life.  I've tried going to yoga on Friday's to relieve the stress of the week before the weekend, I've gone on long walks through the city in an attempt to remind myself that I'm 24 years old and living and working in one of the greatest cities in the world, and I've upgraded my cable to include HBO in order to help pass those days when I'm too tired to do anything but watch TV.  These strategies that I've tried to implement into my life were more like kid-sized band-aids trying to cover a bigger issue.  

Before I go any further I want to preface my next few comments with I love teaching and I love that I'm a teacher.  Love it.  

I've come to the realization that my perfectionism is blocking my ability to balance my life.  Towards the end of this week I've learned/learning to say, "This is the best that I can do."  Then I close my laptop, push away my students' essays, and turn off the classroom lights so that I can meet my boyfriend for dinner.  I didn't realize how much I stressed about how much work wasn't getting completed.  My focus has now shifted and I'm looking to recognize what I have completed and what I have done well in a particular week.

I'm not super woman and I'm starting to become really OK with that.  My students' education won't suffer because I didn't immediately grade their papers, or make a handout for this week's project, or if I didn't get around to emailing this parent about their child's progress, or that parent about their child's behaviour.

Somewhere along the way I've forgotten that I'm just a muggle... as I've mentioned earlier.  I like the new Ms. P that's starting to develop, sans red cape and spandex.

x,

Ms. P