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🌱 Rooted Tip
Productivity isn’t about getting more done. It’s about spending less mental energy on remembering everything.
The best systems don’t just save time. They create peace of mind.
Teacher Planning & Productivity Essentials
Have you ever laid in bed at 11:00 p.m. and suddenly remembered…
“I forgot to make copies.”
Or…
“I never emailed that parent.”
Or…
“I was supposed to bring supplies for tomorrow’s lab.”
Yeah… Me too.
One thing teaching has shown me is that our brains carry way too much information.
Lesson plans. Emails. Meetings. Field trips. Parent communication. Professional development. Grading. IEP meetings. 504 accommodations.
The list never ends.
Eventually, I realized something:
I couldn’t keep relying on my memory.
I needed systems that remembered things for me.
These are the planning tools and habits I use every single day to stay organized without feeling overwhelmed.
My Planner
People are always surprised when they see my planner because…
It’s boring.
No elaborate stickers. No aesthetic layouts. No perfectly color-coded pages.
And honestly? That’s exactly why it works.
I use a simple monthly planner and divide each day into sections.
One section is for lesson plans.
One is for meetings and appointments.
The Saturday and Sunday blocks become my running to-do list.
I don’t need my planner to be pretty.
I need it to help me remember my life.
My Tabbed Notebook
If my planner tells me what needs to happen, my notebook tells me everything else.
I use a notebook with built-in tabs, and each section has a purpose.
One tab for Biology.
One for Teacher Cadet.
One for Earth Science.
One for my Doctoral Program.
One for random ideas and reminders.
Throughout the day, I’m constantly writing things down.
- An idea for a future lesson.
- A reminder to check in with a student.
- A note from a department meeting.
- Something I don’t want to forget before tomorrow.
Instead of trusting my memory, I trust my notebook.
It’s become my second brain.
Frixion Pens
I know.
It’s just a pen.
Except… It really isn’t.
These erasable pens have completely changed the way I plan.
I write lesson plans.
I make notes.
I reorganize my schedule.
And when plans inevitably change (because, let’s be honest… they always do), I can erase instead of crossing everything out.
It’s one of those tiny things that somehow makes planning feel less stressful.
Frixion Highlighters
If you’re going to color-code your planner…
Use erasable highlighters.
Trust me.
Teaching changes constantly.
- Assemblies.
- Fire drills.
- Testing schedules.
- Weather delays.
Having the ability to erase instead of starting over is a little luxury I didn’t know I needed.
Sticky Notes
Sticky notes are everywhere in my classroom.
Everywhere.
- Quick reminders.
- Student notes.
- Ideas.
- Things I need to remember tomorrow.
The trick isn’t using sticky notes.
The trick is giving them a place to live.
Mine always end up in my planner or notebook before the end of the day.
Otherwise, they become colorful confetti on my desk.
My Five-Minute Planning Routine
One of the best habits I’ve ever developed takes less than five minutes.
Before I leave school every afternoon, I ask myself four questions.
- What am I teaching tomorrow?
- Do I need copies?
- Is there anyone I need to email?
- What’s the first thing I need to do tomorrow morning?
That’s it.
Five minutes.
Those five minutes save me so much stress when I walk into school the next morning.
My Biggest Productivity Lesson
Here’s something I wish someone had told me during my first year.
Being busy doesn’t mean you’re productive.
Sometimes we’re busy because we don’t have systems.
Every system you create removes one decision from your day. And fewer decisions mean more energy for your students.
My Favorite Planning Essentials
If I had to choose just five…
🌱 Planner
🌱 Tabbed Notebook
🌱 Frixion Pens
🌱 Frixion Highlighters
🌱 Sticky Notes
🌱End of Day Checklist. Click HERE for a ~free~ copy of my checklist!
Simple.
Affordable.
Used every single day.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this article, it’s this:
Your brain was never meant to remember everything.
- Write it down.
- Create systems.
- Trust your routines.
Teaching becomes so much more enjoyable when your planning system works with you instead of against you.
The goal isn’t to become a perfectly organized teacher. The goal is to create enough structure that you have more energy for what matters most.
Your students.
♡ Amanda
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