12 Habits that will Give You a Successful School Year

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Our oldest child worried about everything before the first day of school. I wish we’d had all the helpful tips and suggestions at our fingertips when we were helping her get ready for a new year of classes.

And as a former teacher, I can tell you teachers can have dozens of anxious thoughts before their students enter the classroom, too. So I went searching for some helpful tips. Here’s my top twelve . . . some I found, some are from experience. If a dozen isn’t enough, check out the Back to School pins on Pinterest.

12 Habits that will Give You a Successful School Year

Action

1. Prepare the night before – Pack your lunch and fill your backpack or tote with the things you need to take before you go to bed.

“If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it.” ~Olin Miller

2. Lay out your clothes – Know what you want to wear and make sure it is clean and ironed if needed. Don’t forget to add any accessories and the shoes you need.

“Organizing is something you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” ~A. A. Milne

3. Plan ahead – Work ahead on your lesson plans or homework so you won’t end up with unnecessary late nights or last-minute trips to the store for forgotten supplies.

Live today but prepare for tomorrow.

4. Organize your workspace – Whether at school or at home set up a user-friendly workstation where supplies are easily found and distractions limited.

“Good order is the foundation of all great things.” ~Edmund Burke

5. Get enough sleep – Everything seems better when you’ve had enough rest.

“Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds.” ~JoJo Jensen

6. Eat a healthy breakfast – Fuel is essential for success. Need some ideas? Check out the Breakfast Ideas on Pinterest.

“According to the American Dietetic Association, people who eat breakfast have an easier time focusing and are more productive throughout the morning than people who skip breakfast.”

Attitude

7. Smile – Be approachable. Teachers and students are nervous as a new school year starts, smiling will help you and the people around you to be more at ease. Teachers, I know they tell you not to smile until Thanksgiving, but you can still set clear boundaries and smile. 🙂

“A smile is the light in your window that tells people there is a caring, sharing person inside.“ ~Denis Waitley

8. Be humble – Do your best and stop competing with others. Everything about school feels like competition. Who’s the best teacher? Who gets the best grades? Who is the best at sports? And on and on. Competition is best when we compete only with ourselves – to be the very best we can be while giving God the praise and glory.

“Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” ~John Wooden

9. Be kind – Everyone needs friends. Teachers – look out for the new teachers. Students – be kind to the new kids and the ones who look lonely. Think more about others. Believe you will be blessed.

Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ. Ephsians 4:32

10. Be yourself – You are an original made by God for His glory.

“Be yourself- not your idea of what you think somebody else’s idea of yourself should be.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Wherever you are and whatever the time – you were created exactly for this time and His purpose.

For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

11. Believe you can do it – Don’t give up. Ever. Be blessed knowing that every day is new. A fresh start. Don’t let yesterday interfere with today, or today with tomorrow.

This bright, new day… complete with 24 hours of opportunities, choices, and attitudes… a perfectly matched set of 1440 minutes.This unique gift, this one day, cannot be exchanged, replaced or refunded. Handle with care. Make the most of it. ~ Anonymous

12. Pray – Begin and end each day with prayer . . . and as often as you want in between. God loves you teacher. God loves you student. He wants His best for you. Spend time with Him in prayer asking Him to guide you to know His best and to follow His will.

We pray: that God will make you completely sure of what He wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need; that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases Him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God; that God will strengthen you with His own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. Colossians 1:9-11

It takes planning and organization, but it’s possible to make this the best school year ever.

And just in case I missed something . . . what’s your favorite tip for a successful school year?

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