In the past in my job as teacher, I would easily burn out each year, sometimes even before mid-year. Stress became a good friend of mine. Teaching is a career where you can easily forget yourself as there is always something you could be doing, planning, organising, cutting, or preparing. It's not just a 9-3 job as some like to think. 

So as an overwhelmed young teacher I decided to give each year a theme, something to focus on each year. Something for myself. To make the burn out worth it. This is a way to stay accountable to myself and make sure I am a priority just as much as my students were to me.

Maybe you make New Year resolutions? Or have a word for the year or even make a list of 19 things to do in 2019... This is the list of my years since I started back in 2006. What do you do to ensure you make yourself a priority over your work?

2006 - Year of Social Experiences

2007 - Year of Adventure and Dreams Coming True

2008 - Year of Short Breaks

2009 - Year of Declutter

2010 - Year of Simplifying  

2011 - Year of Decision Making  

2012 - Year of No Commitments  

2013 - Year of 'Using Up' 

2014 - Year of Detox

2015 - Year of Independence

2016 - Year of the Shopping Ban

2017 - Year of Less

2018 - Year of Self Love

2019 - Year of Freedom and Lingering Longer