Every year I’ve tended make a new year’s resolution that has an impact on my personal life. But it’s not usually been long before the allure of the sofa has meant that I’ve sacked off the gym or that bar of chocolate in the fridge has got me in its forcefield.

This year, I wanted to make some school-based resolutions , in the hope that they would not only help me in my day to day work as a teacher but also have benefits for my personal life.

So, as we all head back to school, here’s what I’ve got:

Teacher new year’s resolutions
 

No more working at weekends

I’m going to try really hard to not work at the weekend. I find that if I think I need to work on a Sunday evening then my weekend feels incredibly short and I’m tired when I wake up. It isn’t good for mental health or physical health. I’m hoping that this will have a positive impact on my students, as I’ll hopefully feel fresher and more energised having had a full weekend to spend with my family.

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Utilise my time 100% of the time

During non-contact time I can have periods of amazing focus and work where I get everything done that I need to. I can also have periods out where I don’t manage half of what I needed to: procrastination takes over or I get talking to a colleague. I’ve bought a notebook specifically to make lists of tasks I need to complete during my free periods. I’m hoping being a little more organised will help me to get through my work more effectively and feel better about it.

Make a new contact in school

I work in a big and busy secondary school. I’ve decided that this year I’m going to make an effort to get to know a colleague whom I don’t already know. It feels good to be able to say good morning to someone and use their name. It’s also good for the school community, and that is something I’ve always been keen on advancing.

A treat lunch on Fridays

I know it seems silly but I’m going to make it a thing now to treat myself to a lunch on a Friday. I love my food and really think that having something small like that will really motivate me on a Friday. They say armies march on their stomachs, and I think the same could be said for teachers.
 

If you’re still casting around for resolutions this year, maybe you could think about having some for school, rather than focusing purely on life outside of work? It might be the best thing you do all year.

Adam Black is a teacher in Scotland