It's a new year, and that means new resolutions. For some teachers, one resolution could concern learning how to balance work and home life.

Stacey Cabral-Levesque, shared her best tactics in balancing work and life in a guest blog post on TeachingQuality.org. In the article, Cabral-Levesque offers tips for teachers including prioritizing.

"Time must be made for family and friends," she said. "They are the ties that bind, and we need to maintain our personal connections. Everyone is aware of the need to order things and have a “must do this first” stamped by date and deadline. But doing it is another story. Earlier this fall, I experienced the challenge of prioritizing first hand. I started taking a class [something I’ve never done during the school year] and struggled to complete my homework and not have it hanging over my head. I decided to try and complete coursework immediately after class, and if that wasn't possible, chunk the homework it into doable amounts of time.The only way to find that balance in life is to get it done. Make the list. Tackle major tasks first. Do the tasks that are least likely to get done by deadline because you don’t enjoy doing them as much as something else. This has really worked for me."

Her second tip was to "eliminate."

"Determine one to two areas of passion and focus there," said Cabral-Levesque. "For me, it’s mentoring new teachers and providing curriculum support. Don’t say “yes” because you think it will help your career. Being on every committee and volunteering at every concert may just add to the stress and fatigue, and too many “yes” answers can lead to stretching yourself too thin."

Her third tip was to "release."

"When it comes to assignments, score only what is most beneficial for students," she said. "Other work you assign can be for practice. When it comes to tests, I use 'scored by' and allow peer grading. When it comes to homework, students place it on their desks and I check it as they work. The onus is on them and they take their responsibilities seriously."

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Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor