Determine Your Time Management Plan

Where do you draw the line? You probably have your classroom management plan all figured out, but have you taken an equal amount of time to figure out your time management plan? Do you have boundaries set for what you are willing/not willing to do? If you haven't taken this step for yourself, please consider tackling this before the school year gets rolling. By setting boundaries for yourself, you will be able to quickly respond to requests, re-capture some of your precious time, and be more in control of your life. Here are some topics to consider when setting boundaries:

• Values: If you have never thought about what you value most, consider taking a brief inventory to determine your values. Make these your guideposts for decision-making at both home and school. Consider what is essential right now in your life. What do you need to grow to become the best version of yourself?  Be sure to surround yourself with people who help you to grow in these values!  And if you are forced to work with a soul-sucker, imagine their negativity just bouncing right off of you.  Put up an imaginary shield to protect the values you hold dear!  Below is a link to a Carnegie Mellon University value exercise that will help you determine which values are important to you right now.​

• E-mail: Do you check your work e-mail outside of school? Do you need to be reachable during all hours of the day? Consider your role and your need to be in contact with school-related messages outside of your contract time. Even though the technology exists to be in constant communication, it may be wise to delete the school e-mail app from your phone so that you can be present with your friends and family outside of school.  If e-mail is overwhelming for you or you have difficulty answering e-mails at school, consider getting up earlier/going to school earlier to check and respond to e-mails. Make this a routine to gain back time.
• Your School Day: How long are you working at school? "As long as it takes," right? If you checked off ALL that needs completing, you would never leave school. Give yourself an end time and do NOT worry about what anyone else thinks about when you leave school. If you need to go at the end of your contract time to take care of your family or personal needs, do it. But please do not stay every night until you get it all done. At the end of the school day, take five minutes to prioritize what needs to be done and set a deadline time for yourself. Do NOT let yourself stay any later than that!  

Which values are you living by this year? Feel free to share in the comments on the Tuned In Teachers Facebook page!

Values Exercise-CMU
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