A Long Day's Work: Balancing Teaching, Responsibilities, and Future Security

Today felt like an especially long and tiring day at work, and I can understand why. Last week, we had a mid-term break and didn’t work for an entire week. While this break was nice, it also meant that a lot of tasks piled up during that time, waiting for us to return.

Although I wasn’t in the office, I spent the week staying productive in a different way as I focused on working in my garden. I’m trying to diversify my income sources because, as we all know, relying solely on a salary has its limits. A salary can help keep you out of poverty, but it rarely builds wealth, especially if you’re an employee rather than a business owner. When you’re working for someone else, your income depends entirely on them, and if that income stops, so does your financial stability. This is a common challenge for many civil servants.

When a person’s career is based solely on their salary, life after retirement can become difficult. Unless they invest wisely or start a side business, they often struggle to maintain their lifestyle once they stop working. The pension system here also makes it difficult since pensions often don’t arrive on time or in full. That’s why, even while I’m working, I’ve been looking for ways to add other streams of income, so I can be better prepared for the future.

Now, back to today’s work. After a week off, we had a lot to catch up on. I was constantly moving from one classroom to another, teaching, and trying to get back on track. By the time I had been to about six different classes, I needed to take a break to recharge. It was exhausting, but there were still more responsibilities waiting. After my break, I helped some students who are preparing for their GCE exams, which are coming up at the end of this month. I worked with them for about two and a half hours after regular school hours. This additional time comes with a small bonus from the school, since it’s outside my usual duties.

By the end of the day, I was completely worn out. Normally, I finish work around 2 p.m., but today, I didn’t get home until about 6:30 p.m. It was a much longer day than usual, but I’m glad I could support my students and make progress on the tasks that had piled up. Even though today was tiring, it reminded me of the importance of balancing work with other sources of income. It’s a long-term strategy that I hope will make my future more secure and less dependent on any single source of income.