Always plan ahead
Taking an hour each week to plan your lessons, deadlines, and meetings will help reduce stress and stop things from piling up. While you probably have your general plan for the year, we're sure you've noticed that things rarely go exactly as planned - it's just part of the job! Setting aside time each week to plan for the upcoming one makes a big difference. It lets you fine-tune your lessons, adjust for new ideas, and cover anything you might have missed. By making small tweaks, you can stay on top of everything and keep your week running smoothly.
It’s really important to prioritise tasks based on their importance, too; a tricky lesson may need more time to prepare, while a quick homework sheet will take less. This helps you avoid rushing at the last minute and manage your time better!
Keep a master to-do list that's separate from your daily to-do list
Keeping all your tasks in one place is a simple but powerful way to stay on top of everything. Whether you prefer the tactile feel of a paper list or the convenience of a Word doc or app, having one central spot for all your tasks helps you avoid feeling scattered - or more importantly, accidentally missing something. It's easy to forget things when you're incredibly busy, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed when your tasks are spread out, so having everything in one place ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
From your larger master list, you can then break things down into smaller, daily chunks - whether in your planner, app or even a sticky note. Prioritising tasks based on urgency or time sensitivity means you'll stay on track with deadlines and prevent getting bogged down with last-minute rushes.
The key is to keep it flexible. As things pop up (which they probably will because teaching is always full of surprises!), you can adjust or add new tasks without feeling like you've lost control. This way, your list stays structured yet adaptable, letting you stay on top of what's most important while still making room for the unexpected. Keeping everything in one place helps ease the mental load and prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Create an efficient filing system for your lessons
Having a solid filing system for your lesson plans, notes, and resources will help you stick to routines and stay organised. We all know that physical notes can easily get lost or buried under a mountain of paper, so it's always a good idea to back everything up digitally where you can. Google Drive, for example, lets you access your work from anywhere - whether you're at school, at home, or on the go. You can sort subjects into folders and keep everything categorised by week, month, or whatever works best for you.
Plus, you'll always have a backup copy of everything you need, and sharing your resources with colleagues becomes quick and simple. If you need to have a day off with illness or have to leave suddenly for whatever reason, your substitute will have everything they need to keep things running smoothly, without any interruptions to your or your students’ schedule.
Remember to delegate when you can
As the old saying goes, "Teamwork makes the dream work", so don't be afraid to delegate and ask for help where you can. Teaching assistants and even students can be a big help when it comes to tasks like tidying up the classroom and keeping the space organised, marking work and homework or running little errands. Delegating when you need it lightens your workload and gives you the time you need to focus on the most pressing tasks that only you can carry out; plus, it also encourages teamwork. It's important to remember that everyone is working towards the same goals, and education is a team effort!
These are just a few of our ideas - you’ve probably got plenty of your own! Whatever techniques you prefer, if you’re looking for the perfect teacher organisers and planners to help you stay on top of everything, you’re in exactly the right place. As well as teacher planners, we have almost 50 years of experience in supplying personalised exercise books here at EPSL, making us top of the class when it comes to producing resources and learning solutions for schools, especially school exercise books.
Feel free to take a look around our site to see what we can offer - and if you’ve got any questions or if you need any advice, feel free to give us a call on 01254 686 500!
