This post has definitely been my most requested since I started blogging, and especially lately. As you all know, I’m a dedicated full time elementary school teacher AND a very passionate and dedicated blogger! To most that seems absolutely crazy (who said you can’t do both?!), but to me, it’s just right ๐
I want to preface this post by saying, it’s VERY challenging to do both. Very difficult. Very draining. And most definitely very time consuming.ย But to me, it’s ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT! ๐
I’ve always said that “the busier I am, the better”, which still rings true to this day. If you didn’t already know, I started Torey’s Treasures as a hobby and outlet to fill up my empty time (especially summer breaks). My boyfriend and I were (and still are) in a long-distance relationship, so I have more free time on my hands when we were apart, and with his encouragement, I decided to start Torey’s Treasures. Fast forward to now, 2 years later, and my blog and Instagram have taken off, and I haven’t looked back since! I’m always learning new things everyday, and challenging myself to succeed in ways I never knew I could, but am so grateful I do!
Yes, I frequently get stressed, overwhelmed, and can get down on myself for not achieving what I wanted to, or not posting a photo on Instagram before the bell at school rings, etc… But you know what!? That’s quite alright. Things get in the way, life happens, and I’ve learned the last 2 years (going full speed), that you have to roll with the punches, be flexible, and be willing to continuously strive for balance!ย
SWEATER: Gap (order 1 size up, wearing M, on major sale for $39!) // DENIM: Free Peopleย (order 1 size up) // SNEAKERS: Indigo (under $20)ย similar here // BAG: Gucci // SUNGLASSES: Karen Walker
Click the image below to shop my outfit:
Without further ado, let’s talk about what my daily schedule looks like! I’m a person that always has to be on the go, no matter what. I never watch TV or movies, and rarely have down time to relax, but that’s who I am, and I’m happy with it!
- 5:15 am- Wake up, drink coffee, get ready for school.
- 6:30am- Post an Instagram photo before my 45 minute commute. I love listening to podcasts on my drive and also like to brainstorm blog ideas AND think about my daily lesson plans at school. #multitasking
- 8:00am-3:30pm- School is in session and I’m all in. On my lunch break, I will try posting an Instagram photo.
- 4:30pm- After driving my 45 minute commute back, I go straight to the gym. No excuses. My gym bag has been packed the night before and is ready to go.
- 5:30pm- Last minute errands/I try to get home asap to cook dinner and shower. I also post an Instagram around dinner time.
- 7:30pm- FaceTime date with my boyfriend. We do this nightly and it is SO important to our long distance relationship. It’s definitely the highlight of each and every day!
- 8:30pm- Finish up writing a blog post I started on the weekend and/or edit photos, answer emails, respond to DM’s (which takes hours but it’s my favorite part of the craziness, just being able to connect with hundreds and thousands of you personally).
- 11:00pm- My bedtime. If I’m not in bed by 11 or 11:30, I know the next day at school will consist of the most coffee, ever.
As you can see, Monday through Friday, I’m literally gone out of my house for 12+ hours, and basically have little to no social life. I will occasionally go out to dinners but I try and save my “social outings” for the weekend. I’m dedicated to what I do, and sometimes that means making sacrifices, whatever they may be.
My weekends look a whole lot different, and that is for the sole reason that they are about 95% dedicated to behind the scenes of my blog and Instagram. This is what they look like:
- Friday night: Usually spent doing laundry, answering emails, ordering clothes online, stopping by Nordstrom curbside pickup last minute, and prepping for photoshoots on the weekend that my mom and I will meet up to shoot.
- Saturday: I always workout first thing in the morning and then typically will go out to brunch with my mom. We then proceed to take 5+ outfit photoshoots, to prepare enough content for the upcoming week. Thanks mom!
- Sunday: Usually spent working out, editing photos, writing blog posts, visiting my grandpa, meal prepping for the M-F ahead, etc.
Now, I want to share the 4 key things I personally do, toย balance both a teaching job and a full time blogย wholeheartedly:
- Support from loved ones: this is the key to success. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! My mom is my photographer, and my boyfriend is my photographer when we travel and/or when we are together on weekends. My dad helps me on the back end with my taxes and contracts for the blog.
- Fitness: this keeps me sane. Without working out, I would probably be a psychotic mess haha. It really does keep my mental and emotional self in check. I always feel 100% better after a workout when the endorphins are flowing!
- Planning and organizing: using a calendar (I’m old school and write everything down). I use this tape in my planner to keep all my due dates and activities color coded. For example, purple is for the blog, blue is for school, green is for personal and travel. I write everything in one calendar so I can see it all in one place.
- Go, go go: Literally, I never ever stop. ย I’m always working, always thinking, always on the go, always out and about somewhere doing something, and always thinking about what’s coming next. Always. I’m not sure if that’s healthy or not, but it’s what I have to do if I want to achieve everything I set my mind to.
If you have made it this far in the post, thank you so SO much for taking time out of your day (because as we all know, time is precious) to visit Torey’s Treasures!! ย I hope this answered your question of, “Hey Torey, how do you do it all?!” and gave you more insight into my everyday life of balancing a full time teaching job and a full time blog ๐
As you can see, I’m extremely dedicated and have such a strong passion for both. ย It’s so rewarding seeing all the growth in my career and personal life come to fruition. I’m still learning every single day, and love that the learning never ends. I couldn’t be prouder of what I have created from nothing, and plan on continuing the hard work and persistence from here on out! Keep in mind that what works for me, may be different for someone else. Pleaseeee leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought of this post! It was something totally different, and I hope you enjoyed it!
XOXO
Jen says
Thanks for sharing. As a teacher & a creative, its definitely hard to balance everything, but we always make time for what is important. Right? ๐ You didnโt mention school work at home. Do you just do that at school? I try not to work on school stuff from home too much, but sometimes itโs necessary. Anyway… loved reading about your balance.
Torey Beerman says
Jen, thank you SO MUCH for reading and resonating with this post! It’s great to hear from other teachers and creatives that are like minded ๐ In terms of schoolwork, I vow to myself not to bring it home with me because then I can get carried away. I get to school early, utilize my recess/prep time, and sometimes stay after school to plan/get everything done in my classroom setting only! Hope that helps ๐ XOX
Kate says
Iโm a full time loan officer (work follows me home), an only parent to a toddler and a blogger (sort of!). Itโs my creative outlet but unfortunately gets the back burner because of my crazy, hectic life. My take away is getting content ready over the weekend to post all week! My life is so scheduled and go go go that I get home at night to write and I fall asleep with my laptop on me! Definitely going to try to โstock upโ each weekend to have my Mom-stories and outfits ready for the following week. Loved this post!
Torey Beerman says
Kate, wow you sound so busy! You’re absolutely right- planning content ahead and stocking up has definitely been a huge help as far as contributing to my blog and Instagram consistently! Try it out for a couple weekends and let me know how it goes ๐ XOX
Marisa says
I LOVE this post, Torey! You are such an inspiration! Your dedication for all the things that matter to you is incredible! I just love your determination! ๐ Thank you for sharing ๐
Torey Beerman says
Marisa, thank you SO much! I appreciate your kind words and taking the time to read this post ๐ I’ve definitely found that I make time for things that are important in life, and I’m determined to keep it going! Find your passion and stick to it! XOXO
Lauren says
I loved this post!! You truly are an inspiring person. Not only do you work hard at fulfilling your passions and inspiring others, but you also are such a daily breath of fresh air. Your sunny disposition and bubbly/friendly personality make it so easy for others to engage with. I know your students feel the same way, too :). Thanks so much for sharing and keep on keeping on!
Xoxo
Torey Beerman says
Lauren, thank you SO much for reading and supporting Torey’s Treasures- that means the world to me! Also thank you for the incredibly kind words ๐ I’m glad I could inspire you, and I hope you have the best weekend! ๐ XOXO
Samantha says
You are amazing! Thank you for everything you do ๐ I was curious – what program do you use to edit your photos/how did you learn to do it?! They’re so beautiful!
xoxo Samantha
Torey Beerman says
Samantha, thank YOU for supporting and encouraging Torey’s Treasures! I appreciate you!! I just recently started Lightroom for my photos- all I do is brighten up the photo and a little saturation to bring out the colors ๐ hope that helps! XO
Nicki says
I absolutely love this post! This is so inspiring as I am just beginning to start a blog and currently have a full time job. I have been trying to figure out ways to balance all my time and reading how you do it gives me some new ideas. Thanks for sharing this! ๐
Torey Beerman says
Nicki, thank you so much for reading this post and supporting Torey’s Treasures! I’m so happy I was able to inspire you with your blog and full time job! You’ve got this girl! GOOD LUCK! XO
Ann Thomas says
Great post torey! You’re so fab at what you do and your dedication is amazing! It’s definitely paying off for you โค๏ธโค๏ธ Loved reading this! So inspiring.
Torey Beerman says
Ann Thomas, thank you so much for reading and for your words of encouragement! I appreciate you babe! XOX
Jamie B. says
Hi Torey! Iโm so in awe of the way you handle your busy schedule! Itโs such an inspiration. I love the tip โgo, go, goโ. I sometimes struggle with handling all the tasks my life entails, but that idea really resonates with me. Thanks for the great post! ๐
Torey Beerman says
Jamie, aww thank you so much! That is so kind of you ๐ I’m happy I could encourage and inspire you to be on the go too ๐ it’s busy but fun and 100% worth it! Good luck and let me know how it goes! XO
Karin says
Wow wow wow! I wish I had as much go go go as you! I get done teaching for the day and Iโm dead. Iโm thinking about starting to workout in the morning before school to just help my energy level through the day. How long have you been teaching? It seems like you must be a pro so you donโt have to lesson plan and grading in the evenings. Thanks for the blog. I enjoy you insta and blogs a lot. You work supper hard and it def shows!
Vanessa says
My sister is a 3rd grade teacher and she always needs to work on her lesson plans on the weekend..always has to grade work at home..bravo to all the teachers who go above and beyond!!! Teaching common core requires to work outside of the classroom.
Torey Beerman says
Vanessa, it totally does require lots of extra work! I plan accordingly to ensure that I can get my planning done more efficiently. I show up to school early and use my prep time super efficiently! Hope that helps!
Savannah Crisp says
Love this, it shows off your hard work and determination!
I enjoy the authenticity of you and the blog.
Torey Beerman says
Ssvannah, thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to read today’s post and for all of your support with Torey’s Treasures! XO
Ariel says
Youโre so inspiring Torey! Iโm a teacher as well and itโs hard enough just teaching and having any kind of life! Love all your outfits and posts, you motivate me everyday!
Torey Beerman says
Ariel, thanks for reaching out! I love hearing from other teachers! You can totally understand the craziness of being a teacher ๐ I’m so happy I could motivate you in a way! XO
Caitlin e says
Thank you for posting this!! Super helpful tips!! You are so inspiring, I wish I had your drive and energy!! Haha but Iโm definitely going to start packing my gym bag the night before and not use any excuses to get out of working out! Also love your colorful striped sweater!! So fun! ๐
Xx,
Caitlin
Torey Beerman says
Caitlin, thank you so much for reading today’s post! I’m glad I inspired you to pack your gym bag the night before, it really does help ๐ Thanks for following along! XO
Jules says
I echo Lauren (above)- I always LOVE your bubbly personality! I *try* to do many of the same things you do but have to say being married and the time I commit to being present together each night and weekend after long days at work makes blogging so hard. I am hoping soon going forward Iโm able to dedicate one night a week to blogging. But right now I havenโt figured out how to balance it. Teaching and blogging is hard- I LOVE how you do it all! ๐๐ Thanks so much for sharing and always being so sweet!!
Jolene says
Hi Torey,
Your posts are a highlight of my week! I am a teacher as well and have always been curious how you fit it all in with school, blogging, boyfriend, etc. I’ve definitely made it a goal of mine to keep school work at school so I have a chance to pursue other passions in life. Reading this has really inspired me to continue with that mindset. Thank you for sharing! ๐
Torey Beerman says
Jolene, oh my goodness your comment made my day! I love hearing from other teachers and am so happy that I could hopefully encourage you or inspire you to start another passion of yours! So happy to hear from you! XO
Kayci says
Youโve inspired me to stop making excuses when Iโm too tired after work (Iโm a NICU RN so 12+ hours shifts for me too) and just wanna sit on the couch and watch tv instead of doing things more productive like working out. I normally like to go, go, go as well and I am so much happier when Iโm busy and doing things.
So anyways, Iโm so happy I stumbled upon you on Instagram a few months ago:)
Torey Beerman says
Kayci, oh my goodness I’m so happy that I could inspire you!! Wow you sound so busy, and I can totally understand where you are coming from- my mom was an ICU nurse for 25 years! Keep up the amazing work and motivation! So happy you are following and reached out to me! Good luck and enjoy your weekend! XO
Amanda says
So glad I got to read this. You are so busy and so dedicated! I wonder how you got started? Did you just start tagging businesses to get their attention? I seriously wonder how Influencers get started. I do applaud you with your strict schedule. That is something I really need to work on… Iโm a full time Escrow agent, wife, mother to two boys, and try to work out every day. I love your posts!!!
Torey Beerman says
Amanda, thank you so so much for reading! You sound so busy, but I hope I can inspire you to start a passion of your own too! You sound like supermom! I started out by posting outfit photos on Instagram and tagging brands…and then the momentum took off from there! Hope that helps! XO
Torey Beerman says
Amanda, thank you so much for reading and getting inspired! You sound busy, but sound like supermom ๐ I started by posting outfit photos on Instagram and getting known in the influencer niche. Once I gained some momentum, I kept it going and never looked back! XO
Corie says
Loved this! I absolutely love following you! Being a teacher I can relate to some of your stories. I love how positive you are in life. And, your style…love it! You always inspire me and give me ideas to try. And the best part I can usually adapt it to my teaching/mom style. ๐ Thanks for working hard so we can sit back and enjoy what you wrote and share.
Xoxo
Torey Beerman says
Corie, thank you SO much for reading! I love that you are totally inspired and can relate to everything I’m sharing ๐ I love hearing from readers like you! Have a great weekend XO
Teli says
Thanks for sharing your schedule. It’s nice that your family is involved.
I have an older sister that teaches high school in Hayward and she often works 9-10 hours a day. Do you ever have to stay late?
I’m curious about being a teacher.
Torey Beerman says
Teli, thank you for reaching out! I always stay up late ๐ but in terms of teaching, I use my prep time and before/after school time super efficient! Have a great week! XO
Jessica says
Hi Torey! Oh how disciplined and driven you are! An inspiration for sure! I love your posts, thank you for being so candid in this one โบ๏ธ Iโm finishing up pharmacy school and heading into residency this summer but Iโm still interested in pursuing blogging as an outlet! Your comment about your dad helping you with financials was something I hadnโt thought about yet! Is there a โHow Toโ on that aspect of blogging๐? How did you learn to take care of it?
Torey Beerman says
Jessica, I”m SO happy you enjoyed reading this “real life” post! I’m happy to hear that your blog will also be your outlet while you’re in residency ๐ It’s a fun outlet but takes a lot of work! I learned as I went…it was a lot of trial and error to be honest. I started it on a whim and had NO CLUE what I was doing haha but learned as I went along! Let me know if you have any other specific questions ๐ great to hear from you! XO
Kim says
Hi Torey! I actually just recently found your Instagram account and hit follow almost immediately ๐ I absolutely love your style! I am extremely impressed with how you handle your busy schedule. I am a teacher as well, so I canโt even imagine how you keep up with that and the blog/creator job. I am very curious to know what your students, parents, and coworkers think about your blog/instagram (if they know that is)?
Torey Beerman says
Kim, thank you so much for following me! I’m so happy you came across my Instagram and blog ๐ And I love hearing from other teachers! In regards to what others think of my blog? I don’t know to be honest! It’s not something that I come out and share, so I’m not sure if they have discovered me. I know a couple teachers have discovered it and are proud of what I do! And then my students are young and don’t know about my blog! Hope that helps ๐
Ashley says
Hi! I Love how transparent and open you are! I am a third grade teacher and so admire all the work you put Into teaching and blogging! Keep it up girl ! ๐๐
Torey Beerman says
Ashley, thank you so much for reading! I love hearing from other teachers! XO
Mamoon says
Doing two things is always difficult but you’re doing great. Thanks for sharing an amazing motivational post.
I know how much effort it takes to maintain a blog ( bcz I started one mateylifestyle.com ) and with a job…… Only passionate souls can keep it moving.
Enjoyed reading it. ๐๐
Torey Beerman says
Aw thank you for reading!! It definitely takes lots of passion to make it work!
Adina says
Hi!
Thank you so much for writing this. I started my blog two years ago and I am also a full time teacher. There have definitely been some days where the stress is just overwhelming and other days where I feel like I can tackle it all. It helps knowing there are other bloggers out there trying to balance it all too!
Torey Beerman says
Adina, it sounds like we have so much in common! I’m right there with you on the days where we have high highs and low lows…we all get like that! Hang in there and dedicate yourself to your passions! XO
Brittney says
Your post is so inspiring! I am a full-time Speech-Language Pathologist for a school district and I would love to start a fashion/lifestyle blog. I also have a 40-minute commute to my work. I have always wondered how bloggers can manage a full-time position plus blogging. This gives me the courage to pursue blogging more seriously! Thank you!!
Torey Beerman says
Brittney, oh my gosh it’s so great to hear from you! Sounds like we have so many of the same things in common! I’m glad I could hopefully inspire you to follow your passion and fit it into your schedule ๐ it’s definitely worth it! XO