This snippet is not about writing, but about how I will protect my time to do what truly matters to me.

This year I’m going to set firm boundaries between home and school.

I know I say that every year, but this time I’m actually going to do it.

I plan to leave twenty minutes after my contractual time, except for two days a week. That way I don’t take work home.

There will be exceptions, of course, like P-T conferences or report cards or BTS night when I will need to extend my work hours, but those times will be the exceptions rather than the norm.

The weekends will be mostly reserved for me and my family with one morning or afternoon dedicated to schoolwork, if necessary.

I will make sure that the have to’s of teaching mostly take place at school.

This means that I will say no to many things that I normally say yes to.

This means that I will be zealous about protecting my time. To write. To read. To spend time with my family. To focus on those things that matter to me and that I’ve neglected for most of my professional life.

Although this plan is still percolating in my head; it will become clearer once I’m in the school building.

How are you planing to create a work-life balance? How will you protect your precious time?

I hope you will leave a comment below. Maybe we can support each other throughout this year as we reclaim our personal time.