overwhelmed

[Daisy425]

I’m feeling incredibly overwhelmed. I move out of my place and into a new apartment for the first time with my boyfriend on August 20th. Right now I’m in the process of packing up my current apartment. I am also a teacher and start school the end of August, so I’m simultaneously trying to set up my classroom. It’s been so hot in my classroom as I don’t have ac which is making it hard for me to go and get things dome. On Saturday I leave for cape cod which I am looking forward too but I’m stressing because I have so much packing and setting up in my classroom to do when I get back. I’m very overwhelmed and just exhausted

[TangledUpIn]

You are dealing with a lot Daisy, I can feel the overwhelm in your words. Can you take in a fan to your classroom? Amazon has a great portable fan called the Venty (on sale now for $79.99) It collapses down to a small disk when not in use. My sister who is also a teacher bought a Venty (she paid $100) and absolutely loves it. Wishing you cool breezes and peace of mind Daisy. ☺️

[catsrock]

I hate that feeling of being overwhelmed. Would it help to make lists? Break things down into really small steps that you can check off? That kind of stuff helps me. Thank you for being a teacher - such an important and hard job.

[bethelbee]

Sounds like your Cape Cod vacation is coming at just the right time! You're dealing with a lot. Hope you get to unwind and relax during that time away. Try a neck fan for working in your classroom, They work really well. Enjoy your vacation!!!

[Elizabeth830]

Daisy, I am a teacher as well. Every year this time of year by anxiety ramps up as well. I feel like summer vacation is really only July because once August hits, the best teachers start to worry about our classrooms and what we are going to do the first week of school. IT IS overwhelming.

Catsrock mentioned making lists...that is very helpful for me too. I am also moving and going on vacation at the end of August. I have a list of stuff to do as far as moving, a list for school work, a list for the new place, etc. But all these lists help me to stop ruminating about everything over and over. When I think of something I put it on the list. The other thing too is that we think the jobs on our lists are going to take us for-e-ver, but they really don't. Some stuff is quick.

Plan out everything for your classroom at home and have it ready to go. Then when you have time (maybe IF the nights start getting cooler) just run in and do a couple of things before you get too overheated.

We, as teachers, love routines...you are out of your routine. Summer is always hard for me because I don't have a routine. This year I decided to teach summer school. It has really helped a lot. I have to be in for 7:15am and can leave 11:45am, for five weeks, not Fridays. If I wasn't teaching summer school, I would still be surfing the Internet until 10:30 am at least and wasting half the day. While at summer school, I come up with things to do the rest of the day and I also can get some things done in my classroom for September as well as get some socializing in because I tend to spend a lot of time alone in the summer.

I know when I have had years where I couldn't get into my room because they were waxing the floor a couple of days before school was going to start, I would just plan on staying late that first day. When I stayed late, I realized that all the work I had hoped to do didn't really take that long. It was my mind playing tricks on me.

Lastly, when packing, what is helpful for me is to make the boxes that I need immediately with the words "NOW". I unpack those the first day and the rest can wait until whenever. Think of yourself as going to a hotel. You really only need the things you would use on vacation.

I hope this helps.