As Many Hours As Beyonce

I'm not even a little embarrassed to admit that this is one of my favorite sayings.  I read this message every day, as part of the screen saver collection on my computer. I selected it for workout motivation; a reminder that it is in my control to set time aside in my schedule to workout. I will also admit that I have been told more than once by other women that they hate this saying. They then ask how I dare to compare myself and the way I spend my time to that of a woman who can afford to hire help not only with her fitness routine, but with her work commitments and parenting responsibilities as well. I guess I don't look at it that literally or personally. This saying motivates me to manage my time and make things happen. Whatever it takes, right? 

Folks in education know that this is the time of year when teachers struggle. This stretch between winter break until spring break is long and stressful. This is the time of year when it all comes to a head with standardized tests around the corner, missed instructional time due to weather, student behavior issues, and the dreaded winter blues.  It also seems that this is the time of year when teachers feel that they are challenged to stretch themselves professionally, to step up their game with instruction. With the school year half over, it's crunch time. Teachers are told they should now have a clear understanding of the needs of their students and what it will take to grow them. Additionally, in my district, teachers have the added pressure of creating lengthy eLearning bundles for snow make-up purposes. We embrace this practice in an effort to cover critical material prior to state mandated high stakes testing windows, but recognize it as one that places many of our teachers out of their instructional comfort zone. It is a lot and teachers are feeling the pressure. Over the past few weeks, as I've visited buildings to support our tech integration and eLearning charge,  I have heard so many teachers say, "I just don't have the time to do all of this".  As much as I try to simplify the process for them and provide ideas for time saving measures, the truth is I get it. My task list has grown out of control as well and while I work to chip away at it, it seems to continue to grow. It's one thing to work all of the time to stay ahead, but quite another to work all of the time and still feel behind. That's when the stress sets in. So what's the answer? I wish I had it. Boy would it make this blog post more popular if I did! I can share a bit of information that I recently read that has helped me prioritize my work when I feel it is getting out of control. In his book The 360 Degree Leader, John Maxwell shares the following formula for work prioritization. 

80% of the time-Work Where You Are Strongest 

15% of the time-Work Where You Are Learning

5% of the time-Work in Other Necessary Areas

Obviously this is going to look different for everyone as we all have different strengths, things we need to learn, and work responsibilities. Perhaps that is where the real issue lies. As teachers, we constantly compare ourselves to other teachers even though each of us is uniquely different. For us to try to follow the same time structure as the person teaching next door creates a type of stress that is difficult to overcome. Why do we do this to ourselves? It's as ridiculous as me trying to share the same time and priority structure as Beyonce. So, I go back to the little saying I posted above.  I do, in fact, have as many hours a day as Beyonce. While she and I probably spend our days very differently and our task lists look nothing alike, I know that we both have responsibilities and goals that we are working toward. (Note: Being able to wear a bodysuit and 6 inch stilettos in public is not on my goal list, but I truly appreciate the fact that it is on hers. ;) I recognize that it is up to me to make many things happen in my 24 hours, with or without the help of others. I recognize that I cannot even prioritize my work the same as someone else who does my same job. I also recognize that prioritizing my work is critical, not only in an effort to accomplish what I need to, but to do so with as little stress as possible. I encourage each of our YCS teachers and others reading this post to use the formula above to manage your work priorities. Who knows, maybe that is what Beyonce has done to be so dang fabulous! 

Maxwell, John C. The 360 Degree Leder. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2005, 2011. Print

You Have As Many Hours In The Day As Beyonce. Digital Image. Web <http://www.crazyredpen.com/2013/11/monday-inspiration.html>