5 Ways to Manage Time as a Neurodivergent (ND) Teacher
It is no secret that time management is a balancing act for teachers.
From arriving early in the morning to make copies or set up the room, to saving 10 minutes at the end of the day to get backpacks on and students out to busses, the demands are endless.
To help, here are 5 ways to conceptualize and manage time.
This blog offers educational content; not medical advice. Please, consult a healthcare professional for personal mental health concerns.
- Use a planner that works (for your brain). I love the Seeing My Time® Adult Planner System from Mary Dee Sklar’s Executive Functioning Success. It helps to break down time in a very visual way. Plus the paper components feel satisfying to fill out. And there is a whole set of video tutorials! Want more options? Look at ADDitude Magazine for some great suggestions.
- Use a great pen! My favorite go-to’s are erasable ones. Just be aware that the ink will sometimes fade overtime on certain papers.
- Look at your school year as a whole. Go through and mark down important repeated dates, even if they are ballpark. Staff meetings? Evening events? Testing? Write them all down. Do this even if it’s already well into the year. You will feel better.
- Find a buddy that you can sit with. This adds accountability to arriving to meetings on time, and can also help ease those nerves for the more introverted types.
- Accept that your brain is unique. There is, unfortunately, no fool-proof plan that is going to permanently fix time blindness. But it is possible to gradually figure out what mostly works, and what to do when the system needs a tweak.
Remember to be gentle with yourself.
Change is incremental and slow in the present.
Try different approaches to see what works for you, and what doesn't. It is really difficult, but try to separate your skills and passion for what you teach, apart from any challenging areas.
And, remember. You are strong, passionate and talented just as you are. Your students are lucky to have you!
For more tips on managing daily challenges as a neurodivergent teacher, read the Key Neurodivergent Teachers' Guide to Managing Daily Challenges round-up!
