Systems and Spontaneity

How to Build a Grounded, Joyful Teaching Life

8 AM Monday: running to school, a bit late — as usual. I promise myself (again) to get my mornings better organized.

12 PM Monday: exhausted after morning lessons. Lunch break, but need to urgently plan another lesson and look over some homework that I should have done over the weekend.

6 PM Monday: lessons done. Laundry time. (Another thing that should’ve been handled at the weekend.) Maybe dinner with a friend — I’ll eat out, it’s fine.

11 PM Monday: home. Exhausted. Should probably do some planning... but nope. Brain says no.

8 AM Tuesday: late again. Also, no time to upgrade my plans. Anxiety: check.

12 PM Tuesday: skipped lunch again to meet a parent. Problem with a student.

6 PM Tuesday: quick dinner on the go; extra evening lessons at a different school. Smaller groups, easier books. I’ll just follow the book.

11 PM Tuesday: exhausted again. Also, the car broke down, so I walked home. Oh, and I forgot to prepare for the staff meeting tomorrow.

8 AM Wednesday: you guessed it — late again.

Why We End Up Running on Empty

This was me a few years ago. I knew I loved my job, but everything felt unmanageable.

That's why I’m sharing these messy days with you. I want you to know: it's normal to feel out of control sometimes.

We’re taught how to teach, but nobody teaches us how to live as teachers.

So we hustle, and scramble, and we survive the day.

We cling to whatever habits help us — good or bad — because we need something to lean on.

The problem is, when our systems are built without awareness, they can disconnect us from meaning. We might cover all the syllabus points... but somewhere along the way, we lose the joy, the curiosity, the why that made us teachers in the first place.

The Good, the Bad, and the Totally Constipated

More recently, I found myself in another perfect storm: two part-time CELTAs (one right in the middle, one ending, and a third one beginning), my Art of ELT business, a handful of lessons — and way more work than one person should take on.

It was an avalanche of reports, planning, marketing, teaching (all online, thankfully no commute). Plus, trying to eat, move, and maybe even sleep occasionally.

I leaned heavily on my good habits:

Strong classroom routines
Working from cafés (where all I do is work, like magic)
Weekend meal prepping
Keeping up with gym sessions
WhatsApp chats with colleagues (aka, lifelines)

Without these systems, I would have collapsed.

But oh dear Lord, the bad habits were just as powerful:

Procrastination (aka, "constipation" — honestly, it felt just as stuck)
Last-minute scrambles
Guilt spirals ("I should have done more," "I’m letting everyone down")
Fear of authority (hello, email avoidance)

Both my good and bad habits were deeply entrenched.

And they were all I had to survive.

How Systems Shape Our Teaching Lives

Please remember: you’re not lazy or bad at adulting.

Your brain is doing exactly what it’s designed to do.

Our brains love efficiency. They build habits and systems so we don’t have to think about every little thing.

It’s how we survive busy, high-demand days without collapsing.

But because our habits grow out of past experiences, workplace demands, and unconscious coping strategies, they aren’t always ideal.

We don’t always notice what we’re repeating. We just keep going — until we realize the scaffolding we built to protect ourselves... has started feeling like a cage.

Where Spontaneity Fits In

Here’s the beautiful part:

Spontaneity becomes possible when your systems are solid enough to hold you.

When you’re rested, nourished, confident — you want to play. To try something new. To break the mold a little!

Spontaneity isn’t the opposite of structure; it’s what happens when you feel secure enough to dance on the structure without falling off.

Systems + spontaneity = aliveness in your teaching life.

How I Started Changing My Habits (Without Burning Out)

I decided to observe my habits for a week. Just watch, without judgment. (It was hard, my middle name could be self-judgment. Anyone else?)

It didn’t take long to notice: last-minute planning was killing my confidence.

So I set one intention: plan one lesson properly, ahead of time.

Here’s how it went:

I set a 30-minute timer and stuck to it.
I chose a lesson.
I set an aim and an outcome.
I checked the coursebook for ideas, adjusted a few things for my students.

It wasn’t perfect, sure, but it was so much better than winging it. I felt more secure walking into class. I enjoyed teaching more. And - no surprise - planning the next lesson was easier.

One tiny tweak. Huge ripple effects.

How You Can Start: A Gentle 4-Step Process

Step 1: Spy on Yourself

Become aware of what you’re doing, when and where. Bonus points if you notice why.

Two options:

Log thoughts, actions, feelings on your phone (set reminders).
After each lesson, answer: How did I start/end the lesson? How did I react to my own mistakes? To student mistakes?

Step 2: Set One Tiny Intention

Don’t overhaul your life. Just pick one habit you want to tweak.

Ask yourself: Does this habit support my values? Does it help my students?

Step 3: Make It Real

Put it in your calendar. Set alarms. Write it on your hand.

You’ll forget sometimes — that’s normal. The goal is to keep coming back to it.

Step 4: Celebrate Progress

Review once a week.

Celebrate the tiny wins!

You tried. You showed up. That’s huge.

Have a favorite drink/snack and tell yourself (and me): Ana’s proud of me for trying!

Ideas for Building Better Habits

Energy habits: Stay hydrated, take short walks, stretch between classes. Keep grounded, too - notice where you are in the moment, no need to think about ‘the next thing’ all the time!
Emotional resilience habits: Quick journal after tough lessons. Some deep breaths will also help. Accepting you feel bad but that it will pass soon enough and you’ll be okay again.
Connection habits: Talk to colleagues - even a 3-minute chat helps. A sharing of a meme, even.
Growth habits: Read one article or try one new activity a month - no pressure.

The Most Important Thing to Remember

One last thing.

If you’re reading this and thinking, Maybe THIS will finally fix me... —

Stop. Take a breath.

You don’t need fixing.

You’re not broken. You’re evolving.

You deserve to feel good teaching.

Systems and spontaneity aren’t about becoming someone else. They’re about becoming more you.

Accept yourself first. Then tweak what you want to tweak. Grow how you want to grow.

If you’re craving more groundedness, freedom, and meaning in your teaching life, I help teachers do exactly that. My program is about building a life and career you actually enjoy — one tiny system (and one burst of spontaneity) at a time.