How do I get my work/life balance right when I return to my teaching job? Karren Brady gives career advice
APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions, plus try our money-saving tips.
Here, Karren gives advice to a reader who is about to return to her job as a university lecturer after some time off.
Q: After being on sabbatical for three months last year, I’m about to return to my job as a university lecturer.
One of the many reasons I took time off was that I found my work life blurred too much into my personal life and I couldn’t stick to any boundaries, which took a real toll on both my teaching and my life outside work.
Being on sabbatical has helped me appreciate the value of my personal time and all the hobbies and leisure activities I like doing and find enriching, as well as how much I do actually enjoy teaching my students.
However, I’m worried I’ll come back to work and slip straight back into my old ways – help!
Maddy, via email
A: Protecting your personal time is essential, and it’s important to make it a priority when you go back to work.
Start by setting firm working hours – and committing to them.
Prioritise your workload by tackling important tasks first, and consider delegating when possible.
Also practise saying “no” if you’re asked to take on last-minute work that would interfere with your personal time.
Consider having a conversation with your manager to share your excitement about returning to work and your intention to establish healthy boundaries moving forward.
Be flexible in the first couple of months as you navigate this new way of working, allowing yourself room to adjust and figure out what feels best.
Schedule regular check-ins with yourself to assess how you’re feeling, whether your boundaries are realistic and if they are respected.
It’s important to recognise if you’re slipping back into old habits, and adjust things accordingly.
By setting and maintaining these expectations, you’ll protect your wellbeing and your love for teaching.
- Got a careers question for Karren? Email bossingit@fabulousmag.co.uk.
Five ways to save on swimming lessons
If you’re thinking of signing your kids up for swimming lessons to kick off the new year, The Sun’s Consumer Reporter Sam Walker reveals five ways to keep costs low.
TRY COMMUNITY POOLS
Check if your nearest community centre or public swimming pool offers lessons, as they will usually be cheaper than private lessons.
For example, Better runs 130 gyms across the UK and offers lessons from £3, while one private swim school in Manchester charges £7.50 per lesson.
Find out if your local community organisation or child’s school is offering any financial help to families in need, too.
CHECK FOR DISCOUNTS
Keep an eye out for special offers – some swim schools give discounts on group bookings or referrals.
At the time of writing, Total Fitness in Manchester was offering 15% discounts on swimming lessons to members. Aweswim in London is giving 10% off to anyone referring a friend or family member, too.
Also, check for family-based discounts – Pure Swim Yorkshire members with a Little Vikings Family Card can get 10% off lessons.
SWIM WITH SCHOOL
By law, all schools have to provide swimming and water safety lessons in either Key Stage 1 or 2, so you may not have to pay for lessons at all.
Other schools might offer additional swimming lessons as part of their PE curriculum. Some local authorities let kids swim for free in council-run leisure centres, too.
Residents in Wandsworth, south London, can take children under eight swimming for free, as long as there is one adult per two kids. And if you never learned to swim yourself, some councils, including Southwark Council, fund free beginner swimming courses for adults.
TURN TEACHER!
If you’ve got the time, you’ll save a bomb teaching your kids to swim yourself.
The internet is full of tips and articles on how to coach your children – you can find them on YouTube, as well as at Holmesplace.com and Swimming.org.
BUY KIT SECOND-HAND
If your kids are learning to swim, they’ll need the correct gear, and you’ll save a packet by buying preloved. Check out online marketplaces such as Vinted, which offers even new items for a
lot less than in the shops. Facebook Marketplace listed Speedo kids’ swimming goggles for £3, while a similar pair was £12 on Speedo’s own website. And don’t forget to sell them on once your kids have outgrown them!