5 Powerful Habits to Help Elementary Teachers Improve Time Management Skills

Have you ever thought about the kinds of habits you've developed, whether as a teacher or just in general.

Whenever I hear the word habit, I think of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey (a must read! There's even a version for kids!).

Today, though, I want to talk to you specifically about habits that will help you as a teacher.

For teachers, it can feel like there's not enough time in the day to get everything done - from lesson planning and grading papers to attending meetings and after-school events. But with a few helpful tips and strategies, you can learn how to manage your time better and make the most of your day! Here are five tried-and-tested habits for improving your time management skills as a teacher.

Prioritize Your To-Do List

Prioritizing tasks on your to-do list helps you spend your time more efficiently. Start by writing down all of the tasks you need to complete, then group them according to importance and urgency. Move the most important and pressing items to the top of the list and focus on completing those first during your planning time. Make sure you're not trying to complete your entire to-do list in a day. It's more important to pick a few things that will fit into the time you have and help you move toward your goal of getting planned before the weekend! 

Do The Most Important Thing First

When you get in the habit of crossing off the most important thing on your to-do list first (instead of let's say, the easiest thing), you're going to propel your productivity for the week!  

Have a Morning Routine at Work

Routines can be really helpful tools! One of my favorite routines is my morning work routine. Why? Having a morning work routine will help you settle into what needs to get done and ensure that you're all set up and ready to go for the day. You can learn more about morning routines as a teacher in this blog post! 

Identify Time-Wasters and Cut Them Out

Many of us find our days filled with activities that are non-essential and end up taking away from our productive time. This often includes tasks like checking emails, looking at social media, and engaging in conversations that don't help us move closer to our goals. Get in the habit of identifying what activities you're doing that waste your time and cut them from your schedule as much as possible.

Take Regular Breaks

Taking regular breaks can help to improve teacher productivity and focus. Allow yourself to take a break from school things at night and over the weekend so you can restart the next workday feeling refreshed. Constant work and no play aren't good for anyone! Step away from the work and rest your brain. This can revive your energy and propel you through the next teaching day.

Now, these are just a few habits that I have found to be helpful for improving your time management. I hope that you'll go ahead and pick just one new habit to start. Start practicing it regularly until it becomes a regular practice for you!

P.S. Time management is my thing! I love helping teachers go from overwhelmed to calm and productive! If you're looking for a few quick steps you can take to achieve more productivity right away, download this FREE guide: Top 10 Time Management Tips for Elementary Teachers