Authors: Abel Ochika / Kalkidan Tilahun (edited by Linda Ruas) | Published on 11 April 2024
Question: How can teachers get better at managing our time?
Answer: By focusing, listing, prioritising and planning
Here are some tips/ideas on how to help improve our time management:
- Prioritise – dedicate time to the right things, like lesson planning, and self-care, instead of wasting time on social media. Research Eisenhower’s Urgent / Important matrix to help you see what’s important.
- Make use of schedules – get difficult tasks done while you’re feeling fresh, categorise tasks as ‘Morning’, ‘Afternoon’ or ‘Evening’ tasks.
- Set goals – these could be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals to focus more; or a PMS (Personal Mission Statement) to reinforce positive thinking - an example for a teacher could be ‘leave no one behind’.
- Make a daily To-Do List on a calendar or in a diary, to keep track of routine and special tasks for each day. Cross off the items when you’ve completed them to help you feel satisfied.
- Learn to Say NO – this can be a respectful way of setting boundaries that can have a great positive impact on a teacher’s general productivity.
- Planning effectively – you could use technology such as digital calendars, stopwatches. Also the Pomodoro technique (a method based on 25-minute stretches of focused work broken by five-minute breaks, using a timer) is great to train yourself to focus more.
- Take Active Breaks – physical activities, short breaks and other mental exercises have a way of refreshing to mind; they also help the teacher to maintain high energy levels and a more relaxed and resourceful state.