1. Maintaining and Creating Balance By Darlene Neufeld Harriette Mostert Pamela Zuidhof

2. What is work life balance? The amount of time you spend doing your job compared with the amount of time you spend with your family and doing things you enjoy.” Cambridge English dictionary

4. What it looks like or feels like? 5  This job is too much! Should I quit?  I am never in the staff room – I hardly see any colleagues  I am snapping at my family and friends; they don’t understand me  I feel sick – run down, tired  No passion  I can’t pray – does God really listen? 4  This pace has to change.  I really can’t do this job – I don’t know what I was thinking.  My home is a mess!  I skipped church on Sunday to try to catch up with home life or school life.  I say “I can’t” a lot!  I’m way behind in marking and grading - 3  Life is busy! I think I’m keeping up – but I am cutting the corners on devotional time and family time.  My interactions with colleagues are when needed – otherwise, I just need more time to get it all done.  I choose worksheets – projects are too much work right now.  My mind is going a thousand miles a minute – I wish I could sleep better. 2  Life is OK.  I’m a bit behind in my marking and I have a few lessons that need to be more thought through.  There are some kids I’m worried about.  My family is hanging in there…  On occasion – I use my lunch break to catch up 1  It’s a beautiful day!  God is Good all the time; All the time, God is Good.  I am so ready to teach.  I have great kids to work with and wonderful colleagues.  I’m in the ZONE!  I have a great idea for that hook… A Educator’s 5 Point Scale

5. 1 It’s a beautiful day! God is Good all the time; All the time, God is Good. I am so ready to teach. I have great kids to work with and wonderful colleagues. I’m in the ZONE! I have a great idea for that hook…

6. Level 2 2 Life is OK. I’m a bit behind in my marking and I have a few lessons that need to be more thought through. There are some kids I’m worried about. My family is hanging in there… On occasion – I use my lunch break to catch up

7. Level 3 3 Life is busy! I think I’m keeping up – but I am cutting the corners on devotional time and family time. My interactions with colleagues are when needed – otherwise, I just need more time to get it all done. I choose worksheets – projects are too much work right now. My mind is going a thousand miles a minute – I wish I could sleep better.

8. Level 4 4 This pace has to change. I really can’t do this job – I don’t know what I was thinking. My home is a mess! I skipped church on Sunday to try to catch up with home life or school life. I say “I can’t” a lot! I’m way behind in marking and grading -

9. Level 5 5 This job is too much! Should I quit? I am never in the staff room – I hardly see any colleagues I am snapping at my family and friends; they don’t understand me I feel sick – run down, tired No passion I can’t pray – does God really listen?

11. 1 It’s a beautiful day! God is Good all the time; All the time, God is Good. I am so ready to teach. I have great kids to work with and wonderful colleagues. I’m in the ZONE! I have a great idea for that hook… Enjoy the moment! Keep personal values in front of you – watch carefully…

12. Level 2 2 Life is OK. I’m a bit behind in my marking and I have a few lessons that need to be more thought through. There are some kids I’m worried about. My family is hanging in there… On occasion – I use my lunch break to catch up Ensure that you are taking time to pray and read the Bible. Treasure your SABBATH. Set aside a weeknight for self or family

13. Level 3 3 Life is busy! I think I’m keeping up – but I am cutting the corners on devotional time and family time. My interactions with colleagues are when needed – otherwise, I just need more time to get it all done. I choose worksheets – projects are too much work right now. My mind is going a thousand miles a minute – I wish I could sleep better. Write up your schedule. Evaluate what is necessary or not. Chat with a colleague. Make a plan. Pray about it. Dedicate your time. Create a reward for accomplishing goals. Ensure that devotions and church are priorities

14. Level 4 4 This pace has to change. I really can’t do this job – I don’t know what I was thinking. My home is a mess! I skipped church on Sunday to try to catch up with home life or school life. I say “I can’t” a lot! I’m way behind in marking and grading - Is this a season? Take time to play. Walk around the school and really try to “see” the students. Consider a mental health day. Change “red thoughts” into “green thoughts”

15. Level 5 5 This job is too much! Should I quit? I am never in the staff room – I hardly see any colleagues I am snapping at my family and friends; they don’t understand me I feel sick – run down, tired No passion I can’t pray – does God really listen? Focus on basic health needs first! Ask for a sick day – mental health day. See a job coach, counsellor, spiritual mentor Journal – be reflective

17. Curling

18. Rest and leisure are gifts from God that relax us and set us free to discover and to explore. But we confess that often our addiction to busyness allows our tools and toys to invade our rest and that an internet world with its temptations distorts our leisure. Reminding each other that our Maker rested and gave us rest, we seek to rest more trustingly and to entertain ourselves more simply. Our World Belongs to God #49

19. Q & A

20. References Ann Voskamp. (2011). One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where you are, Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Anderson, Mike. (2010). The well-balanced teacher. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Buron, K. D. (2015). The Incredible 5 Point Scale. Retrieved from http://www.5pointscale.com/more_sweet_scale.htm http://www.5pointscale.com/more_sweet_scale.htm Busch, B & Jeavons, P. (2016, June 5). It's time for teachers to look after their mental health – here's how. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/jun/05/teachers-five-ways-to- boost-mental-health-mindfulness https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/jun/05/teachers-five-ways-to- boost-mental-health-mindfulness Froese-Germain, B. (2014, July). Work-Life balance and the Canadian teaching profession. Canadian Teachers Federation. Retrieved from: https://www.ctf- fce.ca/Research-Library/Work-LifeBalanceandtheCanadianTeachingProfession.pdfhttps://www.ctf- fce.ca/Research-Library/Work-LifeBalanceandtheCanadianTeachingProfession.pdf Kevin DeYoung, Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Books about a (Really) Big Problem, Crossway Books, 2013. We are Teachers Staff. 9 Tips for balancing work and family. (2016). Retrieved from: http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2016/01/04/best-of-teacher-helpline!-9-tips- for-balancing-work-and-family http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2016/01/04/best-of-teacher-helpline!-9-tips- for-balancing-work-and-family Work-life balance (n.d.) In Cambridge Dictionary online. Retrieved from: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/work-life-balance http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/work-life-balance