Ok, that might not be the right title, but Rachel Hollis (author of the bestselling book Girl, Wash Your Face) has inspired me ideas about how we can use reflection to better ourselves as educators.

In this post I want to build off my last post with teacher reflection tips, to share another time-efficient tip for reflection that can help you feel a little rejuvenation after a long day of teaching-I call it the 5-5-5- rule (it’s a little twist on Rachel Hollis’ 10-10-1 rule 😉 . All it takes is 5 minutes for reflection that leads to rejuvenation

 

 

*The 5-5-5 Rule:

Every morning while I wait for my coffee to brew, I journal in one of two books, either my 5 minute gratitude journal or my “Start today” journal. Both place a heavy emphasis on gratitude and specificity. I’m forced on the daily to get really clear on what would need to happen TODAY to make my day successful (both personally and professionally; we know these two things are completely enmeshed). With this quick exercise of identifying 5 dreams for the day, I have found that I become hyper-focused on whatever those things are that I identified, and therefore more likely to articulate (and achieve) goals that operationalize those dreams.   Preemptive reflection goes a long way, friends!

 

Similar to the 5 minutes in the morning that I take to reflect, I take 5 minutes at the end of the day to do a mental recap on my life. How did I do with those goals? What could I have done better—-> what will I do better tomorrow? You can easily do this from the comfort of your bed at night, at your desk in your classroom as you type of the last of your lesson plans for the next day, or silently as you drive to pick up your kids on the way home from school. Creating this “pause point” allows me to clear my mind, appreciate the positive things about my day and get focused on what matters most tomorrow. I have come to crave the rejuvenation that comes from these small, simple practices every day. They make me a better mom, wife, business owner and educator.

 

So that’s my recipe for how simple reflection can rock your world:

 

5 Minutes (morning)

5 Dreams —> Goals

5 Minutes (night)

 

I know sometimes we barely get out the door in time for school in the morning or by the time your head hits the pillow at night you wonder if your hair is charred from feeling like it was on fire all day!  Building these small reflective practices into your day will actually fight that! Reflecting = Renewal. Taking just a few minutes to reflect on your goals – as an educator and as a person – will change your life..