REst: My olw for the new school year

Aug 19

Every January, I set an intention for the new year and choose one little word to keep that intention front and center in my mind. While I have a word for 2024 and will continue to manifest it, I decided to select a word specifically for the 2024- 2025 school year. That work is REST.

I decided on this word while listening to the Lazy Genius podcast with Kendra Adachi. First, I love the premise of this podcast, conserve your energy for the things that matter and be lazy about the things that don’t. In episode 378, Kendra describes her 13 principles for being a lazy genius and one really resonated… schedule rest. I just want to pause for a minute and ponder the concept of scheduling rest. It makes so much sense because when we schedule things, they are more likely to happen.

I am going to be honest here. As much as I enjoy the beginning of the schoolyear energy and getting to know my new students, I dread the effort it takes to get a classroom, and my family, up and running. Routines, first lessons, getting up early (I admit that I like to sleep in), running to my kids sporting events, meal planning… it is all so exhausting! For this reason, I dread September (the first month of school for my area in upstate New York) and call it “the longest month of the year.” I want to change that mindset this year and I plan to do it by scheduling rest. This is what I have come up with so far. I will rest…

First thing in morning: write my morning pages (inspired by Julia Cameron)

During my prep period: Close my classroom door and meditate, listen to fun music or write in my notebook. Find some way to take a break from my daily classroom work for 10 minutes (I may even set a timer).

After school: Come home from work and sit on my couch, back porch, anywhere. Just sit. Maybe even read for pleasure?!

Whenever I find myself feeling overwhelmed: Take a step away, literally. Walk away from whatever it is that I am doing and breathe deeply. Five counts in, five out.

Time is precious. As I get older I think about how quickly it passes. I want to savor each moment rather than focus on the never ending “to do” lists. For so long, I would think to myself, “I can rest after I do x, y, z.” And then that time would come and I wouldn’t really rest because I ran out of time! So my plan is to make rest a priority this fall.