Ch-ch-changes

Until this year, I hadn't had a summer off since high school; some summers in college I took classes, and even if I didn't, my work hours generally picked up and balanced it out. After taking a job in a school district last year, that was one thing I looked forward to most, and it didn't disappoint. From spending a week in Seattle, to driving back home to hang out with my mom for a few days, and even slipping in a few multi-hour marathons of British TV on the couch, this summer was by far my best in ages.

In the type of work I do, I really feel like I have to pour everything into my job when I'm at work. When kids' futures & quality of life is a factor, there's really no half-arsing it. It's incredibly rewarding, but as an introvert, also incredibly exhausting. Weekends really don't cut it for me for self-care--especially when at least one day is usually eaten up by cleaning, groceries, and running errands. So breaks are more than good--they're necessary, and I've discovered that a school schedule is really perfect for my burnout rate.  I really can give my all when there's a light at the end of the tunnel--and I feel much better about myself and my contributions when I'm giving my all. For someone like me, who tends to struggle with self-care, sometimes a forced break is what I need to reset myself. Win-win, I guess is what I'm saying.

Not that there aren't some challenges with a wonky work schedule--mainly getting back into the work groove after a long break. Waking up early, going to bed early, making it a point to eat regular meals (since I can't just graze all day.....), making time to exercise (which I have yet to do. Eeesh.), and just generally fitting all of my to-dos into a consistent schedule have all been struggles for the past couple weeks. I think I'm starting to setting into a routine, though, and carve out time to breathe. So even though change is tough sometimes, I'm so grateful to have a job I love that really allows me breaks when I need them most.

Outfit details// dress, sunnies: F21 // tights: Target // shoes: Madewell // necklace: c/o Wild Juniper