Wednesday 5th March 2025 - A Day of Productivity, Challenges, and Small Wins: Finding Energy Amidst a Busy Schedule

"I honour my body’s limits and trust that rest and recovery will restore my energy."

Hello all.

Some days are filled with constant movement, where time seems to slip through your fingers as you juggle multiple tasks. Today was one of those days—packed with work, responsibilities, and learning moments, but also ending with a realization about my own well-being and health.

While it was a highly productive day, I found myself running low on energy as the evening wore on. But in moments of exhaustion, there’s also room for gratitude—for everything I accomplished, for the lessons learned, and for the steps taken toward personal growth.

Morning Routine & Getting Ready for a Full Day

As always, I started my day with my usual routine, getting the house in order before heading out to work. It’s a small but important habit that sets the tone for the day—keeping things tidy helps maintain a clear mind and a sense of control over my environment.

I arrived at work on time, ready to tackle whatever the day had in store. What I didn’t expect was just how mentally demanding the day would be!

Supporting University Students & Handling Classroom Logistics

Today, we welcomed students from Durham University who were visiting our school to observe different teaching methods in action. This added a layer of complexity to the day, as I had to ensure that everyone was in their correct classrooms and had what they needed.

• I spent time settling students into classrooms, making sure there was enough space for them to observe and participate.
• I handled copying and printing for them so they could follow along with their lesson plans.
• With so many moving pieces, I had to stay on top of everything to keep the day running smoothly.

While it was great to have fresh perspectives in the school, ensuring everything was well-coordinated required a lot of mental energy and focus.

Celebrating New Teachers & Capturing Special Moments

A highlight of my day was being able to send out congratulatory emails to six Early Career Teachers (ECTs) who had officially completed their two-year induction and were now fully qualified teachers!

This moment reminded me of why I love being part of an educational environment—it’s incredibly rewarding to see people grow, learn, and achieve their goals.

In between all this, I had the joy of capturing one of the most exciting moments in school—our baby chickens had finally hatched!

• I took photos of the newly hatched chicks to share on the school’s social media channels.
• I also sorted through a backlog of photos from the half-term holiday club, making sure to document everything properly before selecting the best ones to share online.

Social media plays such an important role in keeping parents and the community engaged with what’s happening at the school, so I take care to ensure everything is well-presented and meaningful.

Tech Support & Digital Content Creation

As the afternoon rolled in, more tasks kept coming my way.

• Finding Music for a PE Lesson – One of our Year 1 teachers needed music for a PE lesson, but couldn’t find anything suitable. I searched online and found a track that worked perfectly.
• iPad Repair – A student handed me an iPad with a smashed screen. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any spare screens available, so I’ll need to order parts and schedule the repair in the coming days.
• Year 1 Computing Lesson – This was the first time many Year 1 students had used computers, and their lesson involved drawing a flower in Paint. To make sure everything ran smoothly, I spent an hour logging them all in before the lesson began, so that when class started, they could jump straight into their work.

After dealing with those tasks, I managed to squeeze in some personal digital work, including:

• Creating a new cover photo for the Hartlepool Residents Facebook group.
• Responding to emails to keep various projects aligned.
• Updating the Teaching School Hub’s social media accounts to welcome everyone back after half-term.

Content creation takes time and effort, but I truly enjoy it—it’s satisfying to see everything come together in a way that informs and engages people.

An Evening of Reflection, Training, and Unwinding

After school, I had a bit of a lull. Once I packed up the Year 1 laptops, I set up my own laptop and updated the latest content for the Home Harmony Project website.

Then, I hit a strange moment. For about 15 minutes, I just sat at my computer and didn’t do anything.

Was I bored? Was I tired? Or was I simply processing everything I had done throughout the day? I think it was a mix of all three. Sometimes, the brain just needs a moment to catch up with itself.

Knowing I still had to walk the dog, I decided to be proactive and learn something new.

Training My Dog & Learning New Techniques

My dog’s training is still a work in progress, so I looked up a YouTube video on controlling aggression while walking. Armed with new techniques, I took her for a walk, stopping every time she got distracted by another animal or person.

It wasn’t a long walk distance-wise, but it was a huge step in terms of training. Every small improvement counts, and I’m committed to making this work.

Evening Wind-Down & Late-Night Thoughts

After the walk, I picked up Fearne from her dance lesson, then settled in for the evening.

We had tea, watched The Repair Shop on BBC iPlayer, and at 9:00 PM, Fearne and I headed upstairs to tidy our bedrooms before winding down for the night.

I ended the day with a quick bath, and when I got out, Fearne had fallen asleep on the couch. I carried her upstairs to bed before finally taking a moment for myself.

Even though I was physically tired, my mind was still active. While watching the Champions League highlights, my thoughts drifted to my own health and well-being.

Exploring the Wim Hof Breathing Method

Lately, I’ve been dealing with:
✔ Restless Leg Syndrome
✔ Swollen Knees (Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms)
✔ Eczema

I started wondering if these issues could be linked to stress and nervous system regulation. That’s when I remembered Wim Hof’s breathing techniques.

Many people claim that deep breathing can help reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and even calm the nervous system. Could this be a potential solution for me?

I’ve decided to commit to practicing deep breathing techniques over the next few weeks to see if they make a difference. I’ll document my experience and explore whether this method can truly help me regain control over these frustrating health issues.

For now, though, it’s bedtime—staying up too late is breaking my normal routine, and I need to get back on track.

Final Thoughts & Gratitude

Even though today was mentally exhausting, I’m grateful for:
✨ The opportunity to help university students experience real-world teaching.
✨ Being part of celebrating new teachers as they qualify.
✨ Learning new dog training techniques and making small progress.
✨ Discovering a new potential health solution to explore.

#Productivity #SchoolLife #Teaching #DigitalContent #DogTraining #WimHofBreathing #SelfCare #HealthJourney #Routine #Mindfulness #PsoriaticArthritis