Hello fellow teachers. Now that we are all back into the swing of things I woudl like to see what everyones typical week is like? I feel so out of control with my schedule and woudl like to see if anyone else has the same issues or any advice.Here is a little about me....
i'm going into my 5th year our studio operation, i have a husband who works 45 mins away from where we live and barely gets home in time for me to get to work(usually gma saves the day and watches them or they go to day care 2 timesa a week), i teach monday thru thrusday 4-9:30 and Saturday 9-3pm, plus solos, duets and private lessons thrown in somewhere too. If I'm not at the studio teaching I'm home trying to balance choregraphy, lesson plans, business side of the studio, my kids and home/persoanl stuff. I know alot of you teachers/studioowners have teh same issues .........any advice or suggestions on how to feel more scheduled and less overwhlemed. lol...thanks in advance

*hugs*

My personal solution was to set a cap on how many hours I would teach per week (it's in the single digits). Instead of adding to choreography weekly, I tend to set aside a few weeks of hardcore choreography to finish everything and just teach from notes for the rest of the year, making minor adjustments where needed - meaning I can 'rock up, do my thing, then go home!'.

A friend in your situation also set a cap on how many hours she would teach per week, in addition to point-blank refusing to work Fridays and Sundays. Without a business partner/admin staff to manage the business side it means her studio has a growth limit, but she likes it that way because she can spend more time with her family (helps that the husband is also the main breadwinner of the family!).

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I thank god my husband has a great job especially with our current economic situations. I can't reduce my hours unfornately. I do have an office manager and a business partner so things are taken care of with the office part, but theres all those odds and ends that add up..lol. I do not work Fridays or Sundays and currently training in a Saturday instructor so I won't have to be there every Saturday like I have been for the past 4 years. Parents have a hard time with new instructors but I make them well aware we are very picky with who we hire for teaching. SO maybe once all those things set in place things will seem much calmer..hopefuly. But I quess I shoudn't be sho whiney, things good be worse and I could be losing students and waiting for them...right..thanks again for your reply I appreciate you taking time to give some advice! (((hugs)))

I also put a cap on my hours, and do not teach on weekends. I'm currently doing 2 hours per day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. In addition to teaching, I also work a full-time, 9-5 job Monday through Friday. My husband is on the road during the week, and is home on weekends - hence why I do not work weekends! We always have something going on. The only weeekend I work is the recital!

For many years I worked 2 days a week and ALL day Saturday 8am-5pm. That way I could stay home w/ my baby.

As she got older and went to school I changed my schedule around.

Now my baby is in 2nd grade so for me I work 3 days a week and Sat's if I have to add private lessons.

For me setting the schedule that works best for me - then the studio is what I have to do....I also have an instructor that teaches one day a week too.

I also choreograph and do lesson plans way in advance - then teach from my notes. I don't do a recital so for me routines/choreography can be started in the summer for the comp kids - and for my regular program my assistant takes care of that. I'd say if you can delegate do it.

I also set specific days to do business work, home bills, clean my house, groc shop, etc.

One thing to keep in mind ~ you CANNOT go back & spend time with your kids. They will be grown before you can blink.

I am in my 27th year and it is hard to tell parents that their child will have a different instructor. However, if your program is strong & you hire qualified teachers the parents will accept it & get used to it.

It sounds like your kids are not in school yet so you have daytime with them. I would try to find a qualified instructor so when your kids begin school you can be home on 2 of the 4 evenings you are currently working.

This is all coming from someone who tried to do it all & wish now that I could go back. I did the same thing you are doing...but half my time at home was choreography & dance related business so I was not able to really spend quality time with my kids at home when they were small. My kids never went to daycare. I had a wonderful friend who kept them on the rare times my husband did not have them. I never missed any activity my kids were involved in, but we never ate supper together Monday-Thursday & then Friday-Sunday was always crazy! I know I missed out on just being there for them on a day-to-day level.

This is all just food for thought...I wish you the very best! ((HUGS))

I basically don't balance it at all. My life revolves around the studio nearly 24/7. Most days I enjoy it, some days I feel overwhelmed by it. I delegate many tasks, but many I'm still doing not because I'm a control freak, but because I enjoy them. I figure that someday I'll get tired of them & want to pass them on to others, but for now I'm having fun, so I hold onto them. Fortunately, I don't have a family, so there's no one at home feeling neglected. Dunno where I'd fit a personal life in, so I guess it works out OK for now!