I Don't Even Know Where to Begin!

 Have you ever found yourself paralyzed and unable to get anything done?

    I don't know about you, but this seems to be happening to me a lot lately. The other day I walked into my classroom thinking that I was going to be productive and get organized. I had plenty of time, then I stepped over the threshold and froze. 

    I looked to my left and saw that pile of student notebooks that have needed correcting for at least a week! I looked to my right and I saw the pile of worksheets, plans, books, and student artwork on the front table that have simply needed to be reviewed, handed back, or put away. Then, I looked toward the back of the room and saw science materials, math manipulatives, and art supplies all over. OK, I thought to myself, I can clean this stuff up pretty quickly. I will just take one area at a time. 

    WRONG! After that initial perusal of the room, I started thinking that maybe I should work on my plans for the week instead. Yes, that is a better idea. I will gather up some of the stuff that is on the front table that needed to be organized anyway, and moved to one of the other tables. I got my computer out, spread out the planning materials and started looking them over. Once again, I found myself incapacitated. I could not make any sense of it. It was like every time I started one thing, it lead to me having to find something else.Then I got distracted by new ideas and possibilities. I got completely overwhelmed and had no idea what to do. It was if I had never put a lesson plan together before. What the heck! 

    Needless to say, I threw my hands in the air, disgusted with myself. I piled up (not put away) all that I had taken out on the table. I put my computer in my bag and sighed. There was absolutely nothing I could do to make this day productive. So, I shut off the lights and left the room no cleaner or more organized than when I entered. 

    I went home and felt defeated. No matter how much I had wanted to do what needed to be done, I simply could not muster up enough of a clear head to make it happen. As the saying goes....."It will all be there in the morning." And it sure was, just as I had left it.