Inbox Patience (Khanti — Being patient and tolerant)
Inbox Patience (Khanti — Being patient and tolerant)
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Why this matters
Why this matters
When the inbox fills up, our first reaction is often stress. But Khanti (patience) reminds us that we don’t have to respond instantly. Just because the email arrived doesn’t mean it owns your attention.
Practice this week
Practice this week
Set aside two times a day to check email (e.g., 7:45am and 3:45pm).
When a message comes in at other times, do a quick assessment of how 'urgent' it is. If it's not something that needs to be done NOW, just breathe, smile, and leave it be. If you've got time, you can label it using the Marie Kondo trick from our Time-savers page.
Trust that you’ll get to it when the time is right.
Tech connection
Tech connection
Use Gmail’s Snooze to hide non-urgent emails until your next check-in time. This makes the habit easier to keep.
Using Screens Wisely (Indriya-samvara — Using the senses wisely)
Using Screens Wisely (Indriya-samvara — Using the senses wisely)
Why this matters
Why this matters
We're busy people and screens are a part of our lives. However, they can often cause more stress than necessary with news feeds, notifications, endless tabs. Indriya-samvara (using the senses wisely) invites us to choose carefully what we allow in. Less noise = more clarity.
Practice this week
Practice this week
Before opening your laptop/phone, pause and ask: “What is my purpose right now?”
Close tabs or apps that don’t serve that purpose.
Try keeping just one active window when lesson planning or grading.
Tech connection
Tech connection
Install a simple browser extension like OneTab. This collapses all your open tabs into a single list. You can restore them later, but they won't give you a headache looking at them all piling up at the top of your browser.
Notifications (Sati — Being mindful and alert)
Notifications (Sati — Being mindful and alert)
Why this matters
Constant pings and pop-ups chip away at your focus. Each distraction costs more energy than you think. By setting boundaries with notifications, you reclaim calm, focus, and balance. This models Sati — Being mindful and alert for students, showing them that technology can serve learning without taking over attention.
How to do it (2 minutes)
On your phone or laptop, open Settings → Notifications.
Turn off non-essential alerts (e.g., shopping apps, social media).
Keep only what matters for school (Toddle, Gmail, Calendar).
Perfect for: Protecting your prep time, morning mindfulness, or family time at home. Your brain deserves quiet space too.
Bonus tip
Use Do Not Disturb mode during class. You’ll be fully present with students, and the world can wait an hour.
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