4 Time-Saving Tips for Teachers

Teachers, you’re crazy good at getting a lot done in a small amount of time. Leave it you to make copies of the next activity while filling out your class attendance sheet and brainstorming the best way to help Johnny understand negative numbers. Oh, and all of this is happening while you’re scarfing down your lunch. Woof.

If you’re looking for some ways to optimize your time this school year, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these four time-saving tips for teachers. While they won’t drastically change your life, gradually incorporating them into your routine will help you make the most of your limited time.

Time-Saving Tip #1: Prioritize.

At the end of each day, make a list of all the tasks that need to get done the next day. It might be a mile long—and that’s okay! Then, pick the top three tasks and just focus on those. If nothing else gets done, at least you’ll be able to check those three off your list.

Time-Saving Tip #2: Set a timer.

When you’re working on those top three tasks, set a timer for somewhere between 20 to 40 minutes. Pick one task, get out your supplies, put your head down, start the timer, and get to work! Try not to think about anything else. Give this task your full attention and finish it before you move onto the next one.

Time-Saving Tip #3: Avoid interruptions.

This’ll work differently depending on whether you’re at home or in the classroom, but it works either way. If you’re in the classroom, ask your students to work silently on a project until the timer beeps, and use this time to get ahead on one of your tasks. Then, take a five-minute break, and repeat the process until you’re finished. It might feel counterproductive to only do one thing at a time, but you’ll actually get more done in the end. Try it out!

If you’re at home, turn off notifications on your phone and computer, put in your earbuds, and tell your family this is your focus time. You might be surprised by how much more you can get done without the interruptions!

Time-Saving Tip #4: Delegate where you can.

There are some things that only you can do. For example, no one else can teach your students, plan lessons, meet with parents, or handle student discipline. But there are tons of small tasks you could delegate to someone else throughout your day. Anything that doesn’t demand your full attention can be outsourced to someone who can help.

Have your classroom aide make copies or grade spelling tests for you or ask a parent if they’d help you prep class projects. You could even get your students involved, too. Think beyond the typical jobs like calendar organizer or class librarian. Incorporate some chores like washing the whiteboard, recycling papers, or picking up at the end of the day, depending on the grade level you teach. Not only will your students feel a sense of responsibility for the classroom, but it’ll also lighten your workload. Score!

At home, you could outsource jobs too, like paying the neighbor kid to mow your lawn or having your groceries delivered.

Are you a teacher? Help your students win with money today!

Teachers, your time is precious, and these time-saving tips are just some of the ways you can get more time back in your day. You already have enough going on, and here at Ramsey Education, we want to help you in any way we can. That’s why our Foundations in Personal Finance curriculum is designed to save you time. No more scurrying to find information, spending hours researching, or scrambling to put together activities. Foundations has everything prepped, planned and ready for you to teach—right out of the box.