Teacher Time Management: How to Spend Less Time at School

Being a teacher is a rewarding profession, but it can also be highly demanding. Between lesson planning, grading papers, and attending meetings, there are never enough hours in a day. As a teacher, you might feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up and struggling to find time for your personal life. But it doesn’t have to be that way! In this blog post, we’ll share some teacher time management tips to help you spend less time at school so that you can enjoy more of your free time.

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Prioritize Your Tasks:

When you have a long list of to-dos, it can be overwhelming. My favorite teacher time management tip is prioritizing your tasks. Consider which tasks are essential, which ones have a deadline, and which ones can wait. Start with the most important tasks and work your way down. You might find that you can accomplish everything you need to in less time than you expected.

Simplify Your Lessons:

pre-made lesson plans for 2nd grade teacher time management

While delivering quality lessons to your students is important, it doesn’t always have to be overly complex. Try to simplify your lessons by breaking them down into smaller chunks and focusing on the most important points. Another great teacher time management tip is using pre-made lesson plans or worksheets to save time. Remember, your goal is to deliver quality instruction, not to win an award for the most complicated lesson.

Delegate Tasks:

If you’re feeling bogged down with work, it might be time to delegate some tasks to others. Consider asking a teaching assistant or colleague for help grading papers or taking turns writing lesson plans. You can also involve your students in the learning process by having them help grade assignments or lead discussions. Delegating tasks not only lightens your load but also helps build a sense of collaboration in the classroom.

Use Technology:

physical changes digital activities teacher time management

So many great tech tools are available to help teachers save time and streamline their work. For example, you can use an online grading system to quickly grade papers, or a lesson planning app to keep all of your lesson plans in one place. You can also use scheduling apps to make sure you’re making the most of your time during the day. By using technology to your advantage, you can save hours each week and feel less overwhelmed.

Take Breaks:

Finally, it’s important to take breaks throughout the day. When we work for long stretches of time without a break, our productivity and focus suffer. Try to schedule in short breaks throughout the day to recharge your batteries. You might take a walk, read a book, or close your eyes and meditate for a few minutes. When you return to work, you’ll feel more energized and ready to tackle your to-do list.

Save Time Planning Your Lessons!

If you’re short on time or want some ready-made lesson plans, check out our social studies curriculumand science interactive notebook units. It’s a great way to add social studies and science to your class without all the hassle.

Teacher Time Management Tips:

Teaching is a demanding profession, but it doesn’t have to eat up all of your time. By prioritizing your tasks, using technology, simplifying your lessons, delegating tasks, and taking breaks, you can save time and enjoy a better work-life balance. Remember, it’s important to take care of yourself to be your best self for your students. Hopefully, these tips will help you to achieve that balance and enjoy more of your time outside of work.