Most music teachers are barely holding it together.
You’re doing the job and running the rehearsals, but something’s not right. You’re tired, irritable, and shaking your head. You wonder if your beginning music teacher conned you when they said, “Try this instrument! This will be fun – Isn’t this FUN?”
I’ve been there. So have most people who dedicate their lives to teaching music. This isn’t about quitting. It’s not about overhauling your life or starting a side hustle. It’s about taking care of yourself. You can’t run a strong program if you’re running on fumes. And you don’t have to wait for a breakdown to make a change.
Pick a Day to Leave – Then Actually Do It
Pick one day. And leave. Not “stay a little late.” Not “just one more thing.” Actually leave when your contract says you can. The first time you do this, you’ll feel guilty. Like you’re breaking a rule. But you’re not. You’re just breaking a habit that was never healthy in the first place. One day won’t destroy your program. But staying late every day might destroy you. Protecting one afternoon gives you a chance to recover and make time for the other parts of your life that are important to you.
Protect Your Prep
Prep time isn’t extra. It’s yours. You need it to actually do your job. But it disappears fast if you don’t protect it. Knock-knock. “Got a minute?” (I don’t even have a second) “Yeah, what can I do for you?” And soon, 35 minutes dedicated to score study are gone.
It’s always quick stuff – quick meetings, quick coverage, quick favors. They add up. And now you’re working nights to make up for the time you gave away at 11:15 a.m. You already treat your rehearsal time as sacred – start doing the same for your prep time.
Because when you treat it like it matters, others will too. This was hard for me to do at first. I felt bad telling others “no.” But every time I told someone else “yes,” I was the one getting the “no.” I didn’t need to say “no” to every request for the rest of my career, but I did need to prioritize myself.
If you see this being difficult, try going to another part of your building for your plan or hanging an “available in 30 minutes” sign on your door. Once you’re used to having this time you can practice saying, “thanks for stopping by – can we connect when I’m done with this project?”
Keep a Recovery Drawer
Rough days are part of the job. Plan for them. I thought it was negative to think this way. Then I realized, if I didn’t plan for some tough times, those difficult situations could take even more hours of my days. Better to plan for them so they don’t steal more time I don’t have. Now I keep a drawer. Protein bars. Headache meds. Backup socks. Clean shirt. Deodorant. Nothing fancy. Just stuff that keeps me functional when things don’t go as planned. Added bonus: the protein bar doubles as a career saver. If someone says something outlandish to me, I can then shove the entire bar in my mouth. This keeps me from saying something I’ll regret.
Say No to Something Small
Practice saying no. Start with something small. A meeting. An extra performance. A “can you just…?” One time a community member asked my group to perform at their event – tomorrow. “Sorry, I have to pick my kids up from an activity.” But they were very helpful – they offered up their spouse to watch my kids. I learned that day that people will go to great lengths if they want you to do something for them. After that, I stopped overexplaining. You: “Thanks for the opportunity, but we’re unable to make it. Please keep us in mind in the future.” Them: “Oh, we wish you could make it! What do you have?”
You: “Really appreciate it – wish we could, we’re just unable to make it. Hopefully next time.” The more you practice, the easier it gets. You are allowed to protect your time.
You Can Teach Music Without Giving It Your Whole Life
You chose to go into teaching music because you loved it. You’re good at it. It comes natural to you, but you also work hard to provide for your students and community.
You can’t miss somewhere if you’re always there.
When you spend every waking minute somewhere, it can be easy for the job you always wanted to turn into the place you most resent. You don’t need to move things around on your calendar. Or a new strategy. Or to “just push through.” You need rest. You need time.
You need to stop giving every piece of yourself to the job. This doesn’t mean you care less.
It means you want to continue doing what you love – and still be around to do it for years to come.
A tired teacher burns out. A rested one stays. And your kids will learn more from the one who’s still around next year.
