| Daily interruptions can really wreak havoc on your | | | | background. Don't have your workspace facing a |
| schedule and cause you to make less effective use | | | | window because movement can be distracting. Your |
| of the mere 24 hours that you have in each day. But | | | | computer can be a distraction, too. Disable the little |
| have you ever considered that during the course of | | | | blinking yellow envelope in your system tray so that |
| your day as an educator that you may be interrupting | | | | you won't see each email that comes in, and allot a |
| yourself? Perhaps it has not crossed your mind, but | | | | particular time of day to read and respond to emails. |
| the fact is that many teachers actually do interrupt | | | | Discipline Yourself |
| themselves and they may be less efficient as a result. | | | | Allot a particular amount of time to a particular activity, |
| The reason that you are interrupting yourself usually | | | | and vow to work uninterrupted for that time frame. |
| falls back to being disorganized or not completely | | | | Use a kitchen timer or other timing device to keep |
| prepared for the day's tasks. Let's look at some ways | | | | track. Whether you work in twenty, thirty, sixty or a |
| to prevent this little problem from eating into your day | | | | ninety minute block of time is unimportant. What is |
| and becoming a big problem over time. | | | | important is that you can get a particular activity |
| Be Prepared | | | | checked off of your to-do list without being distracted |
| Prior to the start of your first class each morning, and | | | | - so you won't need to be distracted when doing other |
| well before the students start to funnel in - have | | | | things if you stop to do something on your to-do list. |
| everything that you need to get started within easy | | | | Set appointments with yourself for certain tasks. Need |
| reach, such as pens, markers, construction paper, | | | | to work on your lesson plans this weekend? Pencil it in. |
| labels, grade book and other supplies. Having | | | | You likely know how long it will take you to do the job |
| everything within easy reach allows you to avoid | | | | - so schedule a block of time and make an |
| getting up and searching for items - which can interrupt | | | | appointment to get it done. And remember - once you |
| your activities - and your train of thought. Stepping | | | | get started in on an activity on your to-do list, don't let |
| away to grab a stapler can also find you distracted | | | | other people (or yourself) become a distraction. |
| with other "stuff" before you get back to the task at | | | | Don't Over-Schedule Yourself |
| hand. | | | | A big pitfall for many teachers is that they have to |
| Set Your Space Up to Be Distraction-Free | | | | juggle the responsibilities of home and work while |
| A distraction free workspace is important. You need | | | | oftentimes raising kids - and having their schedules |
| to maximize what you get done when you are not | | | | tugged in a million different directions. Will you have |
| actually teaching - which is usually during your "planning | | | | time to work in sitting on the parent committee and |
| period" but may be after school when you are grading | | | | being a sponsor for the girl's cheerleading squad? It is |
| papers or preparing lesson plans. If you are easily | | | | certainly doubtful unless you are planning to clone |
| distracted by sound, set up your workspace in a | | | | yourself. Learn the art of saying no. You may get a |
| location where noise is at a minimum. If you prefer to | | | | few disappointed faces at first, but you'll learn that you |
| have some background noise to help with your focus, | | | | can't please everyone all the time. |
| then you might consider playing some soft music in the | | | | |