Other Stuff
Dear ERG,
I read your recent post about job hate and think I might need a job change. I love teaching and I love my students, but I don’t like all the other things I have to do. How should I start my move into doing something else?
Signed,
Need a Change
Dear Need a Change,
Thanks for reading our blog! When we started ERG, we both had experience outside of the regular classroom, worked at the building level, and also at the district level. We also had master’s degrees that led us to a specialty area. While we would love to tell you the jump from the classroom into another job is easy, we just can’t say that.
Let’s start with an honest reflection on the following question:
Are you running from something or to something?
Things rarely work out if you are running away from something. In your case, it sounds like the “other stuff” is taking your joy away from teaching. In all jobs, there is “other stuff.” In our day to day work, we have to enter data, track down addresses and phone numbers, build our background on upcoming issues, return phone calls and emails with no response, and literally take out our own trash.
We felt called to start ERG. Our passion continued to grow in that direction until we could no longer contain it. The creation of ERG continues to amaze us because we feel like there was a synergy that happened that is much larger than the two of us.
Since you actually still enjoy the teaching you get to do, think of how you can increase your time teaching and decrease your time doing the other stuff. You see, our schools need teachers and we need people who love teaching. This is most likely YOU!
If the “other stuff” is consuming you, take a look at your systems for getting things done. It’s not glamorous, but it will be helpful to have safety nets in place so you can efficiently tackle the yucky “other stuff” and then feed your soul with teaching students.
Consider how you approach all the “other stuff” that is not actual teaching:
- Are you procrastinating?
- Are you distracting yourself with social media, negative conversations, and things you cannot control?
- Are you socializing too much during the workday?
- Are you suffering from teacher perfectionism?
- Are you unorganized?
- Do you take time each day to prioritize? (Remember: what’s important isn’t always urgent.)
Basically, Need a Change, you might not need to change jobs at all. You might just need to change the way you approach the work you already do.
And it is perfectly fine to let your colleagues know you are working on this! Give them a gentle reminder to allow you room to complete your work and then you can chat. Here are some more ways to get the “other stuff” done:
- Actually plan specific times to talk with colleagues.
- Turn off your phone and notifications.
- Get off Pinterest.
- Allow yourself to make progress instead of expecting perfection.
- Make a list.
We are cheering for you, Need a Change. It’s time to be the boss of that “other stuff”!