Finding Rhythm: Balancing Healthy Habits & Unconventional Teaching Hours
Unless you solely work with the homeschool population, adults, or within the public school system, most piano teachers are at the mercy of our students' after-school hours.
That means our working day generally begins around 3 PM and may go late into the evening hours. While this arrangement allows us to accommodate our students' needs, it can pose challenges when it comes to building healthy habits.
Taking charge of your health through regular exercise and a nutritious diet is ALREADY challenging as an adult, let alone adding in those irregular working hours as a piano instructor!
However, with a mindful approach and a few practical strategies, we can overcome these hurdles and prioritize our well-being while nurturing our piano students and studio needs.
Establish a Regular Lesson Schedule and Attendance Policy
One of the beginning mistakes I made as a novice piano teacher was letting my student families create my work schedule for me! I was SO DESPERATE to sign up students, that I sacrificed and inconvenienced myself to accommodate their schedules.
As I started having kids, it was NOT a healthy business practice that was sustainable.
When I finally started getting clear on what I wanted my schedule to look like and ONLY taught lessons within that established schedule, I was able to create a plan for the other important areas of my life--including scheduling in my exercise and taking time to properly select nutrition-dense meals and snacks.
Have a Plan, but Embrace Flexibility
One of the keys to maintaining good health is to plan out a regular exercise routine. Aiming for and scheduling a fixed time slot each day increases your chance to accomplish your fitness goals!
And successful side tip: don't choose running if you HATE running, make sure to pick an exercise style that fits YOUR goals and that is fun for YOU!
I'm sure you're just as well aware as I am, but sometimes life doesn't follow our plans. Creating a plan is a great start and way to increase our chances of success, but we also NEED to be adaptable in our approach.
On busier days, we can incorporate shorter bursts of physical activity even if it's 10 minutes of stretching or brisk walking during lesson breaks. DON'T FALL VICTIM to the "all-or-nothing" mindset. Some exercise is still exercise!
90% of Healthy Habits is Nutrition
It's no secret that irregular working hours can disrupt meal patterns and tempt us to rely on quick, unhealthy food choices. However, with a little planning and preparation you can make nutritious eating a reality.
Setting aside dedicated time for meal planning and prepping can work WONDERS.
I know, I know, you're reading this and you're like...there is NO WAY I have time for meal prepping.
Stick with me here. I'm not talking about the fancy containers and equally proportioned meals of carbs, veggies, and protein. All I'm suggesting is creating some sort of dinner plan for the week, and ordering grocery pickup. That's it!
***If you need ideas for quick and easy healthy meals, this recipe blogger with 30 min or less prep is my go-to FAVORITE (and trust me when I say, if I can cook these you can too!)***
By stocking your kitchen with wholesome ingredients and snacks, you can easily prep a balanced meal for lunch that can easily be your family's dinner as well. Opting for nourishing snack options that are readily available will fuel our bodies and minds during those busy teaching days!
So while it may be challenging to maintain healthy habits as piano teachers with strange schedules, it is certainly possible with a proactive mindset and some strategic planning.
LET'S STRIVE as a community who promotes good piano practice habits to also practice healthy lifestyle habits that nurture both our students' musical growth and our own health.
As always, stay tuned!
(pun unapologetically intended)
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