Are you currently in the position where you are always trying to be available for your students?
I know it can be easy to fall into the trap of giving all your time and energy to your students. It could be your personality of being overly generous or perhaps your students being needy. Either way, we are human, and we all have our own lives and priorities.
I have been SO guilty of this. Especially because I’m someone who’s a high achiever and a people pleaser.
So… I want to give you and me permission right now to stop!
Starting now, I want you to create frameworks for yourself and your students for how you are willing to show up.
The business of teaching is the business of being human. Teachers are human. We get sick. We have lives outside our teaching business. We have priorities in our lives. We have hobbies. And there can be a challenge where students ALWAYS want access to you – your time, your knowledge, and your expertise.
Look, I am all for that. But only parts of it.
I think what we need to do as teachers who are leading the way in the industry is to stop selling ourselves as a commodity and continue selling our services with boundaries and parameters. Otherwise, we’re selling ourselves AND our souls.
Take it from me – I’ve made this mistake.
But I finally realized (a bit late in my career) that I can still define the rules while showing up 100%, delivering value in my classes, and still making an impact on my students.
And you know what happened…?
They honored and respected the boundaries I set which ultimately created a win/win in my relationship with my students and my business.
I get it. It’s the nature of teaching. We are in this to serve people and help them, and I love it! But I’m advocating for you to not offer your services at the cost of sacrificing yourself.
So, set up that framework for how you like to work with your students. I promise, both you and your students will be better because of it.
Stay tuned for next week’s blog where I suggest a type of email to send to start this framework.
Peace,