…when you have more projects and obligations than time?
It was suggested to me that this might be a good topic to throw out there, especially since I have recently been asked many times by those who catch a glimmer of my regular weekly schedule: “How do you do it all?”
First, to give you an idea of what I am currently immersed in, I teach approximately thirty-five students every week, between two community schools, a community music store, and my own Lark Ascending studio. Off and on, I am also assigned various weekly violin classes or coaching sessions in the midst of my regular teaching schedule, and, once in a while, I like to schedule “violin parties” for my private students to get together and play and “talk shop”. On top of that, I am available to perform for various situations (one-day concerts, rehearsals with friends, as well as multi-day festivals or recording projects), and I am on hire for writing compositions and arrangements. I also work on my own current compositional projects, and, as if that weren’t enough, I am currently involved in a massive novel-writing project – a sci-fi trilogy that I’ve been working on for the past twelve years now, in my spare time, of which I am extremely proud. 🙂
And then, there’s school. Thankfully, I’ve finished my life as an undergrad and will be moving on to graduate school this Fall. And, finally, there’s my own private practice time, my haven from the world.
Now, I’m not trying to say that I’m the only busy one here; after all, when there’s a make-up lesson to be had, too often I have just as much trouble fitting into the parents’ schedules, just as they do mine. But, my schedule still seems to baffle and impress fellow teachers and dear parents who must somehow work around it. So, here are just a few tips that have been working for me so far. They may work for you, or they may not, but it never hurts to share some basic thoughts. 
1 comment