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Time Management Tip: Make the Most of Small Blocks of Time

Have 10 minutes to spare? Put a dent in your workload by completing one (or more) of these 15 tasks.

One of the hardest things about teaching is finding big blocks of time in your jam-packed days to get all the items on your to-do list done. So, try to make it a habit to use small chunks of time to put a dent in your workload. Even with ten minutes or less, there are many tasks you can accomplish. Here are 15 possibilities:

1. Write a morning message and morning work directions on the board.
    
2. Grade multiple choice sections of quizzes and tests.
    
3. Brainstorm bulletin board ideas.
    
4. Print out worksheets.
    
5. Update your seating chart.
    
6. Peruse a book of quotes and bookmark five of them to use next week.
    
7. Identify literary elements in the pages of a chapter-book students will be reading later in class or as a homework assignment.   
    
8. Review three picture books you're considering using for an upcoming circle time.
    
9. Create an outline for a lesson plan.
    
10. Read and grade a small batch of essay questions from a test.
     
11. Take down a bulletin board display.
     
12. Decide which topics you want to write about in your parent newsletter.
     
13. Send three emails to confirm the time and place for upcoming meetings.
     
14. Jot down agenda items for meetings with your teacher's aide, team teacher, ELL specialist, the school's special education teacher, or psychologist.
     
15. Fill out Happy Birthday postcards for all your students and put in birthday folder.