Thought of the Day: August 31st, 2015

How many times have you fully intended to get some serious work done only to find that your precious hours and minutes get annoyingly chiseled away, leaving you very little time to settle into a rhythm and flow that allows you to accomplish anything worthwhile? There is no question that we sometimes experience unavoidable circumstances that result in our time being slowly stripped away from us, BUT  to what extent can we hold ourselves accountable for the unnecessary and avoidable interruptions or useless distractions that result in the major loss of our time and productivity? 

As many teachers are about to embark on a new school year, there are so many demands that will be placed upon them. Teaching is an incredibly tough job that requires us to constantly be on our games if we are to have the impact that we desire on our students. With all of the responsibilities to teach, assess, provide feedback, effectively plan and collaborate, manage students, coach, and have a personal lives, getting ‘time-jacked’ is the very last thing that we need. 

So, I would ask you to think about the major reasons why you are being ‘time-jacked’ and evaluate to what extent you are responsible for this happening. Are there situations you could avoid that would allow you to maximize your time and efficiency? Are there people who mindlessly take up your time and energy causing you to fall out of rhythm and flow with the work needing to be done in order to be the most effective teacher that you can be? 

Prioritizing what needs to be done and staying on track with your work is an essential skill necessary to better manage your time as educators. This little reminder is as much for me as it is for you. Love who you are connected with and those who truly make you better at what you do. Take every opportunity possible to let them know that they matter to you. However, remove yourself from situations and people who do not serve you in being the best that you can be. Minimizing unnecessary time-jacking in your life will no doubt give you back the valuable hours and minutes needed to maximize your own levels of productivity. Thanks for reading.