This past week I had to stay home sick, something I don’t do very often.  I know why I got sick.  It wasn’t some bad fish, it wasn’t because I went outside with wet hair (although the dunk tank surely didn’t help), it was because I hadn’t done a good enough job of taking care of myself and finding balance in my life.  I pushed my body too far and it finally gave-in to something I would’ve normally fought off.  

It’s easy to do, push ourselves too far.  We’re all dedicated professionals who work hard to help our students become successful.  We also like to have our own lives.  In my case, I normally spend the weekends resting and relaxing.  I do some reading, cooking, and try to get outside a few times to enjoy the weather and this beautiful country.  That recharges my batteries or, as Stephen Covey used to say, helps me “sharpen the saw”.  However, these last few weeks I didn’t do that very well (owing to traveling for AASSA and a full day at the We Are Ecuador event) and the result was me getting knocked back so far that I needed a day in the middle of the week to recover.

What do you do to help make sure that you lead a balanced and healthy life?  Getting plenty of exercise is certainly important but, as I realized after last week, exercising while your body is trying to fight off sickness might not be the best idea.  We have to know when to slow down and pull back on our regular routines.  Whether it’s skipping a Tuesday night Zumba class in favor of lounging on the couch to give your body some rest or postponing a weekend trip to climb Fuya Fuya, we have to recognize when our bodies are nearing a breaking point.

I want to keep this short and sweet this week.  Take some time for yourself to make sure you’re feeling recharged and fresh for our students…more importantly, for you!  Step back and ensure that you’re setting yourself up for success for this last downhill run, we’re almost to summer…take care of yourselves and it will be here before you know it 🙂