How I stay productive

People ask me all the time: how do you do it? And admittedly I have a problem in saying no to opportunities - maybe it's just the immigrant in me - and most of the time, I do dream of a peaceful and mindful life, but more often than not, I love hustling and I love feeling part of something bigger. Right now, my hands are full, fuller than they probably should be. I'm a full-time secondary school teacher; I'm the head of biology; I'm taking a part-time Masters in Education; I'm a PGCE mentor; and I get involved in lots of school projects. Personally, I'm training to run a marathon; I'm finishing a long distance course in Psychology (dissertation, yikes!); and I'm juggling all things human, my personal goals, my daily routines, struggles and joys.

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So today I wanted to share with you my productivity tips and strategies, and my mindset around how I stay productive in my career: as a teacher.

HOW I DO IT:

1. Work hours

I think it's important to have a clear sense of what my work hours are and avoid the day taking over me. For that reason, I get to school 1 hour before my first lesson and usually stay for 2 hours after school. I find that if I know exactly how long I have, the tasks I'll have to do will inevitably fill that time (Parkinson's Law)... well most of the time.

2. Chunking tasks

It's very counterproductive to switch between tasks so I avoid it when I can (it can take your brain minutes to get readjusted to a new task!). I love chunking as a productivity hack and I use it when I write my to-do lists. I'll always chunk the usual tasks in a block of time - admin, planning, printing, marking, project work.

3. Stay organised

It's a given: organisation is key when it comes to juggling the million things teachers do (or any job really!). I spent time implementing and streamlining processes that help keep me organised. One of my favourite hacks is to use templates for documents, powerpoints, e-mails.

4. Behaviour management

When I started teaching, I was surprised with how time consuming dealing with behaviour could be. I quickly understood the importance of managing behaviour effectively, even if it meant putting more time in first for long-term gains.

5. Exercise, eat and take breaks

There's no miracle here; I always come back to basics: make sure I'm hydrated, that I've eaten regularly throughout the day, and that I've had a short break every couple of hours with a solid lunch break. Exercising and getting fresh air definitely helps clear my mind, especially after a long day and especially when I'm dwelling on things (don't we all?).

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STRATEGIES I USE:

* Braindump

A good old pen to paper kind of situation. If there's a lot on my mind, a lot to do, the feeling of being overwhelmed, the hint of procrastination, it all starts with a braindump. I write all the things I need to do, want to do, been asked to do.

* Categorise to-do lists

I write lists both digitally and on paper. Most of the time, a digital list is a general overview of everything (I use Notion for this); and a written list is in two forms: a weekly overview and a daily overview. For either, I always group and categorise tasks to help me 'chunk' them.

* Set time and be specific

It was hard for me to know how to write a realistic to-do list when I wasn't sure on how long things took me to get done. I started timing myself to start to appreciate not only the time it took me to get something done but also the time of the day in which I was quickest. I could then assign a specific task on my to-do list with a time goal.

* Ride the wave of productivity VS be disciplined

When I'm loving life and getting s*** done, I keep going. I'm riding that wave. But when I'm not, I have to instil discipline. Not excuses. Not procrastination. Discipline. Showing up. Getting it done.

* Stop / Buddy-up / Workspace

That being said, if I even suspect a hint of burnout, I stop. And if I suspect procrastination, I buddy-up with a colleague to get some work done, or work at home or in a coffeeshop. It's the little things that can make it more enjoyable that see you through til the end.

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MINDSET:

Understanding the core reasons and values for doing what I do helps me be productive.

- Time is valuable -

Say NO to what you didn't choose to spend your time on.

- Enjoy what you do -

You won't love all of it, but love most of it. If not, you're in the wrong career.

- Big picture, sense of purpose -

Don't get bogged down in the small things.

- Be reflective, be ambitious -

Evaluate your work and try to do better.

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Even if you're not in teaching, I hope some of these may resonate with you. To all of you who are or wanting to be, teaching is such a rewarding yet demanding job. The key to being productive is to love it, and if you don't love it yet, keep at it for a while. It always takes time to find your way.

Sofia