What I’ve Learned as a Full-Time Teacher-Author and Blogger

There is no release valve for creativity, it comes when it wants to come, which is usually unexpectedly. So, I have to be prepared to record my ideas at a moment’s notice and keep them organized for future use. A paper planner was my preferred method of planning as a music teacher, but now I prefer solely digital organization. I simply work better from home when my desk is clutter-free, and I can keep my fingers on the keyboard. To keep everything in order, I use a combination of apps; Evernote, Reminders, Calendars, and Blotter.

Evernote is useful for logging my ideas while traveling and keeping them synced across my devices. It can also record audio, which means I don’t get motion-sickness recording my ideas while riding in a car. I also keep home/personal lists in Evernote as well, so it’s definitely multi-functional.

I use Reminders and Calendars in conjunction with the Blotter app for all of my TPT/Blog planning needs. I write my to-do list in Reminders and important dates in Calendars. Then, that information automatically syncs with the Blotter app and displays the info on my desktop. The display is semi-transparent and stays fixed in its position, so I don’t have to worry about moving it around the screen as I work. Also, the display is customizable, so you can set it up exactly the way you want it to look.

By the way, if you like my desktop background in the picture above, check out Candidly Keri. She puts out new wallpapers every month, and they’re all gorgeous!

EVEN A DREAM JOB CAN BECOME MONOTONOUS.

I’m a realist, and while I consider this to be my dream job, that doesn’t mean that I never get tired or burnt out. I am 100% introvert, but even I eventually get stir-crazy sitting in my office all day at the computer. It’s imperative that I get out of the apartment at least once a day, otherwise my husband comes home to this…

 

I think it’s perfectly normal and healthy to get bored of a job’s routine. No matter how much I love my job, some days it starts to feel monotonous. I also have days full of inspiration when I’ve shared ideas with music teachers online or received awesome feedback on a product, and I feel completely re-energized. Those good and bad moments all add up to a fulfilling and joyful career, and that’s what’s important to me.

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES ME HANGRY AND BORING.

My name is Jennifer, and I’m a workaholic. I have a bad habit of extending my work time. I spend my “break-time” doing random household chores (just because). I spend my evenings trying to resist the urge to head back to my computer and start working all over again. By the time I’m done working, my brain has no power to process anything, and my habit of skipping mid-day snacks means that I’m ready to binge on a pint of Ben and Jerry’s (any flavor will do).

This Datexx Miracle Cube Timer has been fantastic for reminding me to take breaks. It’s well worth the money!

I often remind myself that I’m not lazy just because I strive for a work/life balance. This is not what society would have me believe, but I don’t care. I care that the people in my life know that I love them, and that they’re worthy of my time and focus.COMPARING MYSELF TO OTHERS IS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.

I am an individual. This means that I have unique strengths and weaknesses just like every other human on Earth. To compare my writing style, product creation, or social aptitude to others is a waste of my time. It only serves to distort my self-worth. As Colonel Potter once said on the TV show M*A*S*H, “Listen, it’s too big a world to be in competition with everyone. The only person who I have to be better than is myself.”

 

OTHERS MAY NEVER UNDERSTAND MY JOB. I SHOULD BE PROUD OF IT ANYWAY.
There’s a frightening moment in every conversation, in which I have to describe what I do for a living. Most of the time, people nod along to my brief explanation, and then quickly change the subject. Other times (assuming that I don’t do “real” work) they suggest that I give private music lessons or teach at the local college. They’re dumbfounded when I explain that my current job takes up all of my time.

I’m rather used to disappointing strangers and acquaintances with my hobbies and passions. Many a stranger were disappointed in me during high school and college, because I “wasted my height” on musical pursuits instead of athletics, as though me being six foot tall meant that I was destined to play sports. These experiences have made me grateful for the rare moments in which someone exclaims, “Wow, you must be so creative to come up with new ideas for products!” or “You must be so driven…I would never get anything done if I worked from home.” Though rare, those conversations are the silver lining in the otherwise bland and infuriating conversations I have about “what I do for a living”. So, I’ll continue to feel pride for what I do. My passion for music won’t fade just because I can’t satisfy someone else’s expectations of me. Fancy job titles and large salaries are fleeting. Music education lasts a lifetime.

Before you leave, don’t forget…

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Also, be sure to visit Elizabeth’s blog post for more tips and tricks!

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