Phew! Who stole summer and plopped a ton of to-do-list items on my life? After 3 weeks there are still "beginning of the year" tasks I haven't done, and in addition, I have to keep all the altered schedules and field trips and extra responsibilities in order without going bonkers.
I don't know why, but there's one phrase that has been keeping me sane (and I find it funny that I like it since I'm a vegetarian):
"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."
I'm putting my blinders on and just focusing on the next "emergency", and keep repeating to myself, "one bite at a time" while envisioning a large elephant, and shockingly, things get done. ... okay, p.s. (that's not really a post script but anyway), someone told me a story (and I'm choosing to believe it without checking), that there's a gentleman that wanted to get into some "book of records" for eating an airplane, so he would systematically grind/break down (whatever) the metal into "manageable bites" and in some long period of time, ate the whole airplane. ... Makes me feel better about my life choices. And even if it's not true, I STILL have my superiority thing going by comparing myself to the person who made up the story. And no comments about people who choose to believe such stories (cough cough).
Know the feeling. Just had a dept. meeting today that was full of deadlines and do this and do thats. Exhausting!
ReplyDeleteAs a first year high school math coach who is also still teaching a regular Geometry class, I am finding myself more than a little overwhelmed by the demands of the job. Add to that the stress of having to deal with people that find negativity in everything you do, and I'm ready to pull my hair out (and if it would grow back anything but gray, I might do that). Your "eating the elephant" made me laugh, and I'm copying it on to poster-board to put on the inside of my office door....It will keep me smiling, and that is good medicine. :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for this post. I am feeling so overwhelmed with my "to-do" list that still isn't done! I planned so much but still feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants! It's great knowing that wonderful teachers like you feel the same way! It's also why I love teaching I suppose - it is the only career that can "satisfy" my energy level!
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining the "overwhelmed" train. I'm off to sleep to catch up on the week-long lack-thereof...so that I can have energy this weekend to chip away at my elephant.
ReplyDeleteMs. Cookie