Learning to say no.

I need to learn to say no sometimes. It's only the first semester of the school year and I'm already up to my neck in responsibilities that I decided to put on myself... because I never said NO to any of them!

My responsibilities this year at school:
1. Teach an 8th grade Honors Language Arts class.
2. Schedule any students in the building that need tutors to the 100+ people we have available to tutor.
3. Facilitate GQE testing.
4. Assist a Graduation Coach in developing small sessions with her list of students she is trying to keep on track for graduation.
3. Run a drama club twice a week after school.
4. Run a poetry club twice a week after school.
5. Get an "Invisible Children" movement started at our school, including the overseeing of a November visit from the I.C. roadies.
6. Possibly set up regular visits to a former student now at School 46. He's having immense trouble and has massive family issues, but he came to my class the most last year (of the times that he actually went to class) so I may be able to help him.
7. Do my best to volunteer at school sports games when I have the chance, and attend them when I have the chance (kids need to see their teachers at games).
8. Participate in a curriculum project that supports small group work within the classroom (plan, implement, reflect).
9. Apply for computer donations to our school, in particular, to the Learning Center. Meet with the reps of the donation company and keep in contact throughout the process.
10. Try not to go crazy.

Really, the beginning of the school year wasn't too bad. Now that we are having orientations for the tutors, the work is starting to pile up. Why do I choose to take so much on?! Because I CAN'T SAY NO. Also, I think I get a messed up rush from having too much on my plate.

However, thanks to a better schedule and the benefit of happy-pills, I am in a much better mental state than I was last year. I know I can get all this done, but I'm so hard on myself about getting all done in TOP QUALITY fashion without making a mistake. Which is impossible.

So, I either need to learn to say NO, or learn to not be so hard on myself when things arent perfect. I'm going to work on both.

Wish me luck. AAAH!