Simplify and Succeed 

Meredith Biesinger

School starts this week in my neck of the woods. How can it be August already? Where did the summer go? Am I ready? Are you ready? These are questions we ask ourselves every year…and then the anxiety sets in. 

A new school year invites energy and enthusiasm but can also invite stress and insecurities. 

New students, a freshly cleaned and organized classroom, and new opportunities are wonderful! This is truly a great time of the year! 

We love seeing new faces and familiar faces that are ready to learn! After all, this is why teachers teach. 

On the flip side, there might be new policy changes, difficult parents, and students with unprecedented challenges. Additionally, real-life, real-world concerns are on the minds of every teacher today. In short, we are worried, and we worry about our students daily.  

My best advice? Simplify. Simplify when and where you can. 

Make sure your home and classroom are clean, functional, and simple for you to utilize. There’s a lot of truth to a cluttered environment equaling a cluttered mind and vice versa. 

Simplify your shopping routines, and save money by doing so. Plan your meals for the week, and utilize a grocery pick-up or drop-off. 

Use a planner or planning app to help you keep track of your meetings and after-school activities. 

Simplify your communication by committing to actual office hours, and utilizing teacher-friendly technology, like the Remind App. 

Evaluate what you CAN do. The truth is, we can’t do it all, even though we try our best to do so. 

Simplify your daily routine, and create game plans for your goals and your students too! 

By simplifying your life, you will succeed as an educator and individual because you will be able to focus on what’s most important to you.  It’s going to be a great school year!