Boundaries are important. But when the never-ending pile of work starts to accumulate and deadlines begin to loom, it can be difficult to unplug and unwind.

Educators know that it’s important to have systems for their students, but they often fail to create systems for themselves.

So, here’s how to untangle yourself from the logistical nightmare that is running a classroom and take back your time!

HELP! I’m overwhelmed with student work!

Student work should be graded at the beginning and at the end of the week. I recommend Mondays and Thursdays but it all depends on when your preparation period is. On Thursdays, you grade work completed at the beginning of the week and on Mondays, you’ll grade work submitted at the end of the previous week. Once you are in this rotation, you’ll be able to return student work within 3-5 school days.

Remember: Quality feedback does not always have to be a submitted assignment. Get creative with progress checks and collaborative activities to limit the number of graded assignments coming your way.

HELP! I’m always planning last minute and panicking about what comes next!

There are several traits that make a successful teacher. The one that will save your sanity? Flexibility.

It’s important to strike a balance between planning ahead and being prepared for that plan to change.

You most likely received a curriculum guide at the beginning of the year. This is often a breakdown of what you should be teaching and how long it should take. What it doesn’t include? Fire drills, assemblies, school-wide assessments, pep rallies, and field trips.

This is why I recommend a digital Instructional Calendar that you can adapt with the unexpected changes. Sit down with your PLC (Professional Learning Community) before each quarter and map where you should be by the end of that quarter. Then, each month, make any adjustments based on reality. This guide will help you stay on pace and keep you from wondering where all the time went!

In addition to this, prepare a Weekly Agenda towards the end of each week with the Learning Objectives, Activities, and Assignments for the week ahead. This will help you know what resources you need to prepare. It will also help students know what is coming and assist those who are absent.

Here’s my weekly schedule as an example! Adapt it to your needs and when your planning time occurs.

HELP! I’m making last minute copies every day!

If you take one piece of advice from me, hear this: Do not be the person making 150 copies ten minutes before the school day begins. We hate those people.

Instead, submit copy requests on a bi-weekly basis. For example, submit the copies you need for Monday – Wednesday on the previous Thursday. Then, submit an additional copy request on Monday for the resources you’ll need on Thursday and Friday. You can obviously tweak this system but I find it way more manageable than submitting an entire unit at once. WAY TOO MANY PAPERS!

HELP! I’m constantly checking my email!

Nothing can drive you to the madhouse like a never-ending inbox. How do you keep yourself sane? Check emails at the beginning and end of the day. For example, the ten minutes before students arrive and the ten minutes after they leave. While it is acceptable and important to check for updates from administration throughout the day, do not respond to parent emails or other requests outside of your designated time.

Remember, the responsibility of holding boundaries is on you. If you answer Johnny’s mom immediately when she emails you at 6:30pm hollering about his grade – you’re teaching her that her behavior is acceptable. Plus, you’re not just teaching Johnny’s mom, imagine that times 32!

The real key here is consistent communication. Students and their parents are less likely to panic when they know what to expect. I recommend sending a parent email each month letting them know what students are learning and any important dates or events coming up. When we are in a cycle of testing, projects, or the end of the grading period, I’ll increase that communication to bi-weekly reminding parents of deadlines and my grading policies.

When parents and students know what is expected, they’re less likely to email you at 6:30pm.

I mean, it will still happen but it’s less likely.

HELP! I accomplish nothing during my planning time!

There’s never enough time to plan. This is why prioritization matters.

When mapping your planning time, take note of when you meet with your PLC vs. when you get to work independently. Schedule deep work when you are able to work alone and uninterrupted. Complete administrative tasks or classroom updates on days when your time is limited or frequently interrupted.

Most importantly, have a list. Make a list of what needs to get done that week and prioritize it. This will ensure your focus remains on instruction and you don’t get lost in the sauce of classroom décor and your Amazon Wishlist.

PRO TIP: Request a student aid. Many school clubs offer volunteer hours to students who work before or after school in teacher’s classrooms. My student aids were lifesavers! They were responsible for hanging student work, changing out the agendas, preparing supplies for the day ahead. All the things I truly didn’t have time for!

Now, here are some real truths I want you to take with you today:

1. If you are planning a new curriculum, it will take WAY MORE TIME than you are given.
2. It is inevitable that tasks will spill over into others day – especially if you are new to teaching or teach students with accommodations (it’s way more paperwork).

This is all to say, be gentle with yourself. Sometimes, those that preach boundaries leave overwhelmed teachers feeling like failures because they have no choice but to grade on the weekend or plan day-by-day. The purpose of this article is to give you structure and help you feel more in control on your time. But hey, life happens. I encourage you to use it as a guide on your way to finding your groove.