Teacher Time Management Tips: Surviving Shorter Teaching Weeks

#4dayweek, #timemanagement, #burnout

How Do You Perceive Time?

This is an important question that often gets overlooked by teachers—I’m talking about all teachers. In my last few blog entries, I’ve discussed time management strategies to help optimise your workflow.

The Long Weekend Effect on Time Management

We’ve just wrapped up the Thanksgiving long weekend in Canada, which means one thing—teachers are now facing a four-day teaching week.

The problem is, whether it’s due to some strange alignment of the stars, the moon’s position, or because your brain assumes you should feel rested after three days off, you might actually feel more tired. Whether this is true or not, I can’t say for sure.

What I do know is that this assumption makes both teachers and students push too hard, turning what should be a leisurely four-day stretch into a marathon. 

This sprint often leaves you feeling more exhausted than even the most intense five-day weeks. Successive four-day weeks tend to amplify this tiredness rather than reduce it.

Why Shorter Weeks Can Feel More Exhausting

If you’re a new teacher, a Teacher On Call, or someone who’s always wondered why you feel more tired during a shorter week, keep this in mind: humans are creatures of habit, often bound by time. We tend to assume that certain tradeoffs have clear relationships—and maybe they do.

Is this too pedantic? Maybe…

But remember, perception often shapes reality. How you manage your time as a teacher will greatly impact how you manage your workflow.

Need help with managing your workflow and time management?

Adjusting Your Time Perception for Better Rest

When you gain a day of rest, think about how you can slow things down during the following teaching days. Otherwise, you might find yourself feeling more tired and stressed during shorter teaching weeks.

Now that you’re aware of this, adjust your perceptions and time management strategies accordingly.