Work Stress and Weekend Bliss

Saturday March 3, 2018

It was a tough work week!  All of this happened:

• I had a tough meeting with an irrational parent (called by me, but completely necessary)
• After that tough meeting, I had to rush to my union meeting so that I could jot minutes as the secretary.  These meetings are SO long and very repetitive– thinking about stepping down next term
• Both kids had a short flu.  Thankfully it was short but the vomiting was still stressful, luckily hubby stayed home so I didn’t have to miss any work
• I acquired my 24th student- and a handful more are scheduled to get assigned to me in the next 4-6 weeks.  23 is my legal limit and my director is likely to get me an assistant for probably an hour a day (just like last spring).  I really need another half time teacher at my building, not an assistant for an hour a day– that is not helpful
• I had to sub for an afternoon on Wednesday and then got called to sub Friday afternoon also.  I HAD to say no.  I would not get in the minimum hours for my afternoon groups seeing that I already missed a day.  This left me feeling like total crap for most of the evening on Friday for being demanding.
• Just. Too. Much. responsibility.  I manage the calendar and have to schedule all of the meetings, and reschedule as needed.  I also am expected to manage all of the assistants we have at our school.  We have 6 who are assigned to specific students and I have to manage schedules and logistics when other kids need help.  The 6 aren’t needing to be with their student ALL the time, so this allows them to have sporadic free time throughout the day.  It’s like a constant juggling act and I feel like I’m in a circus most of the time.  Most weeks aren’t bad but there was a lot that came up this week that I had to deal with — feeling all that I have no time to address the issues
• Winter storm all day Thursday. Luckily the drive home wasn’t too bad.  Unfortunately, we did lose power Thursday night and well into Friday.  I had to get ready Friday morning in the dark and with no running water

To say I was ready for the weekend is a major understatement!  It is Saturday night, and so far it’s been a fabulous low key weekend.

Last night we went to Sam’s Club and then out to dinner.  I was able to get some cleaning done after we got home.

I slept well and woke up clear headed and so thankful for sobriety on Saturday morning.  I chilled in bed with coffee and the hubs.

Scrolling through social media, I found a triathlon in Bay City that sounded super cool.  It isn’t until September, so there is plenty of time to work up my stamina.  It’s called a driathlon because instead of swimming, you canoe with your teammate.   I told the hubz about it and he said, “SURE, sign us up.”  BOY oh boy that totally made my day!  I’ve always wanted to do a triathlon, I am so excited!  I signed us up and named our team Chunky Monkees.  It’s 5K canoeing, 20K bike ride and then a 5K race.  Now I HAVE to keep up on my workouts and strength train.

I’m even more excited to get a new bike for my birthday now!  And I bit the bullet and bought a Garmin today (for my big XMAS present that I never got)– which I’ve been looking at forever and am SO excited for it to come on Monday.  HELLO morning workouts!

That was my fabulous morning.  After all that, I got to work in my bedroom.  I cleaned and organized everything.  All of the shelves littered with jewelry, odds and ends, my books obnoxiously all over the place and my dresser with a mountain of clothes, boxes, and other stuff on top of it.  I dusted and organized, swept and steamed the floors.  I put out my alarm clock that has a natural light that makes me think its light outside when the alarm goes off at 4:50 am.  I’m going to start using that instead of my phone and consciously unplug every night.  I think it will do me some good not to check new work emails when I randomly wake up throughout the night.  I also made room on my nightstand which was piled with a tower of half read books.  I have 1 book on it now and plenty of room leftover.   Lastly, I washed all my bedding.  I can’t wait to go to sleep tonight in my room which is a comforting sanctuary instead of a raging pigsty!

 

The bedroom project consumed most of the day.  Other than that I dropped the dog off at daycare for a few hours and went grocery shopping.

Now it’s already after 9:30 and I’m ready to relax with a movie or book in bed.  I am looking forward to another weekend day of getting stuff done.  Hoping to find time for a hike and/or bike ride.  I wasn’t able to get outside at all today– but it was worth it.

Oh, and I haven’t been thinking much about it– but I am on Day 10 today.  As the days come and are crazy as ever, I rarely think about drinking and haven’t had an urge since last weekend.  However, I know that I DO have to keep up on recovery stuff– but don’t mind it when good things in life get in the way once in awhile 😉

Peace and Love <3