- Routines are your friend. Train your body that as soon as you wake up, you get out of bed and hop in the shower, and that those 20 minutes of reading in bed mean it's time to sleep. It can do wonders for your sleep schedule.
- Wake up relatively early, even on weekends. The temptation to sleep until noon on Saturday after a crazy week is nearly overwhelming -- resist the urge! It'll make you stay up later on weekend evenings, and then when you're back to going to bed at 10pm on Sunday night, you'll be staring at the ceiling for hours. Don't screw your Monday morning, wake up by 9am on weekends. (At this point, my body wakes me up by then anyway...sigh!)
- Speaking of waking up early, set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier than you actually need to be awake. If you wake up right on time, you can be leisurely in your morning routine; linger over breakfast and take some time to cruise your Facebook. If you're dragging, hit the snooze button, but you won't be pressed for time.
- One last sleep tip -- check out the Sleep Time app (definitely available on iPhone, not sure about other platforms). This app will track when you are awake, in light sleep, and in heavy sleep. The alarm will wake you up at your lightest point of sleep up to half an hour before you set your alarm for. (Admittedly, I usually still snooze it until I have to get up...but I love those few extra minutes knowing I still have time to rest!)
- Give yourself time before students arrive in the morning. I know there are some teachers who rush in five minutes before the kids come in, and I guess that works for them. For me, I always take the earliest shuttle to school so I can take some time to prepare for the day and enjoy the quiet of the space before my students come barreling in!
- The importance of self care cannot be understated. Take at least an hour a week for something that's just a little indulgence for you -- for me it's often a weekend bubble bath with some trashy TV, or an at-home manicure. Even little things like squeezing in a trip to the gym do wonders for me. Whenever I don't have another event or class after school, I'll spend an hour working out and I feel great afterward!
- On that note, be good to your body. Drink plenty of water (and strategically plan in bathroom breaks throughout the day), eat food that makes you feel good. I'll take a couple of weekends a month to cook up a storm of healthy and tasty meals (soups are my favourite!) and pop single-serving containers in the freezer or fridge so I've got easy lunches and dinners ready to go.
- Say yes more. When someone invites me to do something, my brain jumps to a million reasons to say "no." I'm too tired, I have a headache, I need Me Time. Sometimes these things are true -- but 90% of the time I need to grab some coffee, pop an Advil, and reschedule my introvert hour. My favourite memories of life in SKorea so far have been the hours spent grabbing dinner after a trip to the gym, or drinks to celebrate an accomplishment with my grade-level team.
- Don't play the "just one more thing" game. I am the worst at this. I'll stay after school to copy just one thing for Monday...then I figure as long as I'm there I can grade some student work...plus freshen up that bulletin board...and then before you know it it's 7pm. Set yourself a deadline, and even if you're in the middle of the task, pack up and go home. It'll still be there in the morning, I promise.
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Currently reading: ...guys my addiction to Scandal is getting really serious. Don't worry, I'll catch up soon and hopefully get back to doing some book reviews :)
Current high: Thanksgiving break in Taipei with YC and EB is booked!
Current low: just put all the concert and play rehearsals for November and December into my calendar, and things are looking INSANE.
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