Tuesday, October 24, 2023

I have mentioned that I have had an adjustment to my schedule changing this year. I was 7:30-2:30 for 23 years! That’s a long time, right? Now, our official workday is 8:30-3:30. I guess I am getting used to it, but I wouldn’t say I like it. You wouldn’t think an hour would make much difference, but it does. I can’t get out of the parking lot until at least 30 minutes after school lets out and then traffic seems crazy and it really doesn’t seem worth it to run any errands. So, work and home. Rinse and repeat. I guess I like having a more relaxed morning, but I get up at the same time basically.

5:30 – go to gym on gym days – Just trying to get this started up again. I was sick, then had fall break, and just haven’t been motivated – to keep it real. I know I need this in my life because I just haven’t felt great. It’s a cycle, right? You are too tired to go, but going would give you more energy.

6:15 – coffee, devotional, write my next day blog, read other blogs, pack lunch, unload dishwasher usually.

I timed myself unloading!

I used to hate unloading, but then I timed myself and couldn’t believe how quick I could do it. I usually listen to a podcast and that makes it better, too.

7:30- get ready for school – I take a quick shower (no hair washing – I do that every other evening), have a 12 minute hair and makeup routine, get dressed. I leave the house at 8 or a little bit before depending on when I started getting ready, unless I have a morning meeting, which is only a couple of times a month, if that.

Makeup first – I really don’t do much anymore on school days.

Not sure why it took me 7 minutes, but I timed it.

Then, hair was done, too.

And, hair only took me this long:

I don’t really lay out my clothes, but I usually have an idea of what I want to wear, so it doesn’t take that long. I leave for school and arrive somewhere between 7:45 and 8 I like to be on the earlier side so I don’t have to wait to park. It just makes everything easier to arrive on the earlier side.

8-8:40 – prep any last minute things for the day and eat the breakfast I brought.

8:40-3:20 – teach, teach, teach with a 50 minute planning period thrown in and a 20 minute lunch thrown in.

3:20 – done for the day, get stuff ready for next day

3:45 – head home unless I have a meeting

4-5:15 – read on patio, piddle around house, do laundry, clean, etc.

5:15 – start dinner after Tom calls to tell me he is on way home. Tom calls like clockwork everyday to tell me he is on his way home. I think he is gauging my mood so he knows what he is coming home to!

5:45ish – Tom gets home – if dinner is done I walk with Tom and Ernie

6ish – eat dinner and hang out in the living room with Tom

7:30ish – take shower, put on pjs, watch a show on my own

9- take my Ashwaganda gummy and head to bed

So boring! I literally do this Monday-Friday but on Friday I do go out for a happy hour usually.

Any thoughts? I love hearing others’ routines!

Amy

36 thoughts on “School Year Schedule”

  2. I both hate and yet love that Alec starts school so early; it can make it hard to wake him up in the mornings but we love that he’s home nice and early too. They start school at 7:15 but since it’s a good 30+ minutes away with traffic I try to wake him up by 6 (if he’s not already up) so he has 30 minutes to eat, pack a lunch, get dressed, and brush teeth. But I love that even hanging around after school he’s home by 3 and has time to unwind and sometimes even take a nap before dinner.

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  4. Routine! I live my best days and weeks when I have a routine and it has been a long, long time since I have had one. Having little children was almost easier than this wacky part-time schedule I work now. I hear you about wanting to start early! My school day always started about 730 and I liked the early hours so much. When I moved into “corporate America“ I found very quickly that no one’s day starts earlier than eight or 9 AM. Or maybe it’s just the area I live in? But my first job outside of the classroom didn’t start till 9 AM and I went crazy in the morning “looking for things to do“. Anyway, I don’t think your day is boring at all… it seems to have purpose and an expectation to it. Thanks for sharing!
    Oh, and the dishwasher thing? It’s funny that you mention that… For me, it’s putting a bagel or English muffin in the toaster… By the time it’s finished I’m done unloading the dishwasher!

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    1. I think you are right about 8-9 being the corporate start time. It would be a weird adjustment coming from a school environment to the corporate “real” world!
      ha – that is perfect multitasking – toasting while unloading!

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  5. Your 5:15 😆
    I bet it is an adjustment with the time this year. The two years I was in Missouri, I taught 7:30-2:30 and loved it…but didn’t have kids, etc
    My previous school was 8:50-3:50, and I liked it because my kids started school at 7:30, so it was easy to get them to school, get ready and drive 25 minutes…but I didn’t love after school because the earliest I’d ever get home was 4:45. Now, I’m 8-3:30 and less of a drive . You accomplish so much in the morning!

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    1. Ha! I’m always like, “uh oh, I guess he’s coming home”! It’s a great schedule to get out at 2:30 and still have that balance. The funny thing is that most of our JCPS high schools still have that schedule and we got the short end of the stick. They are finding it challenging with some of the sports/activities that compete right after school. Quick Recall is one of them. The other teams show up when we are still in 7th period! I do try to flip a lot of my old afternoon things to am. It’s helping for sure.

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  6. I also enjoy hearing people’s routines. It may be boring to you, but it’s good that you’ve got it down pat! I know you live for those Fridays.

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  7. I agree, just starting the day an hour later really throws everything off. I’d rather get out of school earlier but I know they are changing schedules next year here to the kids can get more sleep.
    You have a quick get ready routine!
    xo,
    Kellyann

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  8. Unloading the dishwasher is my least favorite, and I often ask the kids to do it when they are home. It is silly though, since it takes so little time! My 10 years of teaching was 7:30-2:30 and I loved that schedule. When I student taught, it was 9-4 and I hated it. So many benefits of getting out a little earlier…dr. visits, grocery shopping, missing traffic, more daylights, etc. I feel your pain!

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    1. We had a good routine going when the kids were home. Dinner, they would unload, and reload. I got spoiled. Right? That is a great schedule. 9-4 is not my jam! Thank you!

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  10. If I didn’t pick out my clothes the night before, I’d stand there all morning trying to decide! (the less thinking at 630 am the better). My husband starts at 430 am, has to leave the house at 330am and gets home roughly 12 hours later. His commute is about 45 mins/hour. He works for an airline at O’Hare airport so once he’s done with his shift, he has to wait for the bus to take him to employee parking. That would drive me crazy.
    I like to walk out the door and get in my car and go!

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    1. Ha! I think it’s easy for me right now because I only have fall stuff in my closet. Dang – he has a long, long day. Yes, I do, too. I am so happy not to have a commute. I can walk, but it’s dark and I have lots to carry.

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  11. We will have a later start time coming in about 2 years, and I dread it. I get up at 5:55 and scramble like crazy to leave by 6:40. I do not choose my clothes and have no idea what I will wear, lol. I shower in the morning and wash my hair every Sunday. I get to school by 6:50 and students come in at 7:25, first period is at 7:35. I am not a morning person and sometimes look at my feet in a panic when I get to work to make sure I don’t still have slippers on. I have two planning periods and a 35 min lunch. I teach 5 classes and the school day ends at 2:50. I am out of my classroom one planning period because a floating teacher uses my room. I rarely have meetings and am home by 3:40 usually. I try not to run errands on weekdays, and my husband cooks, so I relax and do chores after school. My stress level is 99% lower this year, and I’m so glad I switched to high school!

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    1. Your schedule sounds so nice! Two planning periods???? We want that at our school as many in our district have that. I teach 6 classes and it wrecks me. I need lots of time in the morning and I would not like rushing like that. I am willing to sacrifice sleep for it, too. That’s why I have had to go to bed so early for years.
      I am so happy that you are happier!

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  12. For most of my teaching career, we had a 7.5 hour contract day. Our day started at 8:15 and ended at 3:45. Then, our superintendent got a burr up his butt and decided we needed to work an 8 hour day like everyone else so our day went to 8:00 to 4:00. That extra half hour made such a difference. But, I didn’t have to deal with any kind of traffic as we lived out in the country, and the school I taught in was in a small village. I had a 20 minute commute each way. By the time I retired, lots of things had changed, but not as much as they did in the next few years. In the last few years before I retired, we didn’t have lunchroom duty which was wonderful because our school wasn’t air conditioned, and it was miserable in there. We also had two recesses with the second being after the kids ate so we had an hour for lunch and collaboration. I also had a 45 minute special area block each day. Unfortunately, as much as those breaks were nice, they were also inconveniently located in the school day.

    I’m so impressed at how quickly you can do your hair, but you have wonderful hair! Mine is a flat mess on the second day so I have to at least wet it down and style it. Otherwise, I look like a drowned rat. I love playing with makeup and spend lots of time on that, but I don’t have anywhere to go so it’s all good.

    I don’t go to sleep until around 1:00am so I’m not up until after 8:00am. My husband is an early to bed, early to rise kinda guy so he gets up and takes care of the dog. Late night is when I do my blogging and reading.

    Thanks for sharing your day, Amy!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. So interesting to see how different schools do things. I can’t believe what a night owl you are, but you go girl! I have always been a morning person. I would fall asleep early at sleep overs!
      I am pretty quick at getting ready. I am quicker than my hub. He does everything at a snail’s pace, including eating. It’s almost comical.

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  13. Why is it so boring to empty the dishwasher!? When the kids were younger I used to time them, I haven’t thought about timing myself! Will try!
    I understand it must be a big difference for you with the later schoolday! But I usual you find the positive in everything – I love it!

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      3. But will you be totally free of emptying dishwashers? I guess there will always be some random bowl or something left in the clean machine?

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      5. Yes, fall break, but I actually took two days off too – I’ve never done that in sixteen years! Yes, come and teach me Spanish! Hola!

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  14. Back in the day, my high school hours were 8:45-3:45. The teachers must have hated that! It was good for a high school student though to be able to sleep in, but not so good for doing anything in the afternoon before dinner. Sounds like you have a good routine, stay productive and still allow time for yourself.

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  15. I hear you on the schedule change. We switched to a 4 day work week at my school. There are some positives! However, and that’s a big HOWEVER…a few days a month I leave for work at 6:30 and return home at 6:30. Our work day is 7:15-4:45. Change is hard. This is my 27? year teaching.
    Unloading the dishwasher is one of my least favorite chores. I typically only listen to podcasts while driving home from work. I’m going to start listening to one while unloading the dishwasher and see if it’s more enjoyable. 🙂

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    1. Oh wow! That is a long workday. i guess it’s all a trade off. This is year 30 for me but I’m only 51 – almost 52. Why did I start this job so young? Not sure! It really does help me to enjoy cleaning the kitchen. I think podcasts help me with all my household tasks!

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