Finally living by solid boundaries, it feels great

I teach an elective, and due to low enrollment in my specialty classes this semester, I've been scheduled a bunch of different classes- I have five preps :(. I was feeling pretty overwhelmed. I also lead an after school program, which is a huge time consumer.

I've decided I'm going to work my contract hours, and the extra duty hours I'm paid, and that's it. I'm showing up at 7:30 and leaving at 3:00 every day, unless I'm being paid to stay longer. The flip side of this is that I'm really committed to working every minute I'm at work- no scrolling, no youtube, no endless gossip sessions with co workers. I'm going to do my job to the best of my abilities during the contract day, and leave it at that.

I always worked hard, but I would build up so much resentment about all the free work I was doing that I would slack off whenever I could. The whole situation made me feel terrible.

The way I'm doing things now feels amazing. I find it so much easier to unwind after work knowing I did my absolute best with the time I had. I'll never get everything done, and that's ok. I know this philosophy will be tested later in the semester, and I'm sure I'll slip up- but hey, at least I'm off to a good start. Cannot recommend this enough.

p.s. posting this during contractually a contractually allowed break ;)