How to Balance Work and Life as a Tutor
We hear the term “work-life balance” a lot. It’s likely that if you work or are seeking for work, you have heard this phrase a lot from friends, coworkers, employers, and businesses. However, what is the true meaning of the term? It is the deliberate division of your time and attention among your family, work, and recreational activities. In a nutshell, it’s essentially keeping your personal life and your professional life apart.
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Why is work-life balance important for home tutors?
It’s not always simple to attain a work-life balance, even though many people claim it’s necessary. It seems like everyone is racing to reach their ambitions in the modern world. But it’s also critical to take a moment to relax and reflect on what matters most to you. Being a home tutor can be quite difficult. It’s possible to become so engrossed in educating that you forget to enjoy your free time. It can be challenging to strike a balance between work and life, particularly in light of our dedication to fostering the intellectual and personal growth of our students. This may mean scheduling extra classes for our days off or even staying up late creating lesson preparations. However, this is unsustainable for your physical and emotional health, and tutors risk being exhausted or burned out.
As home tutors, you also have to remember your health’s impact on your student. It may seem irrelevant but a home tutor who is also well-rested and isn’t bugged by anxiety would be able to educate their students better than those who are always on the verge of extreme exhaustion no matter how dedicated they are in their chosen career.
How to balance work and life as a home tutor?
With all that was said above, this brings us to the question, how can you work on achieving work-life balance while still being committed as a home tutor? Don’t fret! We have these tips below to help you achieve a work-life balance as a tutor.
1. Create a daily routine
A daily schedule is a terrific method to strike a balance between work and life outside of it. It will enable you to manage your time effectively and make time for the people you care about. When planning your daily schedule, provide time for exercise, family time, personal care, and other pursuits so that you don’t get overly focused on work and exhaust yourself. Even though Singaporeans are known for placing a high value on their work, you should never forget that you have free time, so make the most of it. You’ll have wiggle room in this manner, preventing work-related burnout.
Once you’ve created a habit, stick to it religiously. This would assist in forming that routine or timetable into a habit. You will also experience less stress as a result of this since you will be more aware of your daily responsibilities. And doing so would make doing your tasks easier. In addition, you will discover how to efficiently manage your time in the event that something unforeseen occurs outside of your regular schedule.
2. Make use of technology
Using technology is the simplest way to get things done and save time. Online resources and software can help with basic activities like lesson planning and grading. Actually, several apps can help your students understand the subject matter more deeply. Numerous Google apps are available to assist with student grading. Many apps are available to assist in lesson creation as well. Certain apps even provide pre-made content that could be useful for your lectures. This gives you more time to do other important activities or projects, including assisting your students with challenging problems or spending time with your family.
3. Take needed breaks
Pausing is essential for a good work-life balance. You need time for relaxation and non-work hobbies, after all. Consequently, make sure to take breaks for yourself during the day.
Additionally, research has demonstrated that taking pauses helps your body and mind recover. As a result, you will continue to work more productively and with greater vitality, allowing you to continue working efficiently. It works just as well without requiring you to take long pauses. After working for two hours, you can either take 15-minute breaks or take a break after every hour. Another way to achieve this is to avoid working during your lunch breaks. Additionally, keep in mind that taking breaks when you’re feeling overwhelmed or exhausted is totally acceptable.
4. Prioritize your health
Your primary focus should be your health, which should also come first. Even when they are obviously ill, some tutors will gladly work, but this shouldn’t be the standard. Keep in mind that, given the situation, there is a great likelihood that you could infect your student if you are unwell. Moreover, you might find it difficult to concentrate on the lesson, and the sessions will end up being detrimental to both you and your pupil. Working when ill might also make healing take longer.
Visit a doctor instead, get lots of rest, and take the day off. Simply let your students know if you will be not teaching that day and provide them with some homework. A good tip is to always prepare work for your students in cases such as.
5. Minimize overthinking
There are times when we pause to review the day’s activities. Overanalyzing, however, can occasionally have a negative psychological and emotional impact. Let it go, then. When we keep thinking about work in our spare time, we find it difficult to relax and instead get more tense. Our relationships suffer as a result of our inability to participate in our hobbies or spend quality time with our families. Why don’t you attempt to leave work at work if you are among those who find it difficult to let go of ideas about work? In helping yourself get better, you can also try planning and making lists or practicing meditation. You can also watch a movie, listen to some music, or work on other projects like your hobbies.
6. Take time for yourself
Above all, remember to schedule some personal time for yourself at the conclusion of each day or week. Everyone needs time to “reset” and spend alone with oneself. You can pamper yourself with a small item, work out, visit a spa, or go on a date with yourself. And these are not the moments to be thinking about work. This entails refraining from responding to texts or emails, checking your business phone, and accessing any laptops or bags associated with your job. You may only use this time for “me” time.
Conclusion
Achieving work-life balance may seem easier said than done and in some ways it can be. There will be times when work can be too overwhelming that it overlaps with your personal time. However, the key here is to make sure that you can still spend your personal time on personal things and not let your job take over it. Being a home tutor can have its challenges and it’s important to take your rest so you can be the best version of your tutor self and in turn, be the best help for our students.
Carelle
Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.
