In practice, the key to success in time management is not following principles or learning techniques, it is overcoming barriers. This page describes the Ten Barriers to Success which typically prevent teachers from being successful time managers. In no particular order (other than the order below) these are:
1. Emotional Procrastination
This is the biggy - a teacher's biggest time management enemy. Read more here.
2. Indecision
This is a component in procrastination of course, but merits a separate mention. Read more here.
3. Neglecting the Bread and Butter
A teacher's priorities should be crystal clear, but they can easily be forgotten. Read more here.
4. Failure to Delegate
This is a puzzle. Many teachers report that there is no-one to delegate to, yet most school leaders claim that support is always available. Read more here.
5. The Wrong Tools
TM4T is designed to require no 'stuff', yet many teachers seem to weigh themselves down with the wrong kind of toy. Read more here.
6. Personal Stuff
I should make clear that none of this applies to you. Read here.
7. Lifestyle Issues
Here we go again. Read here.
8. Madness Meetings
Here we go again again. Read here.
9. Inability to say ‘No' or 'I'm Busy'
Advice here. Warning:contains crude language.
10. The Great Escape
OK, we know you're not stupid, but the smartest do find it difficult to do the simple things. Like go home. Advice here.
11. The Desk
More repetition.. but you know it makes sense. Click here.
Then of course, there are the four biggies on which TM4T is based. These are things you just must get right:
a) Wrong Place
If you get this wrong, you bleed your life away a drop at a time. Instead of making a two-minute phone call, you spend five minutes walking to the office, five minutes waiting for a colleague, two impatient minutes on the phone, then a tetchy five minutes walking back to what you were doing. Fifteen wasted minutes a day? 190 days a year? I make that around 47 hours - at least a week's work - squandered each year.
b) Wrong Time
If you do things at the wrong time - at the last minute - you spend your life in a stress zone, competing for resources, and engaging with other testosterone-fuelled individuals in a world of deadlines. Simply by looking at the big picture (the school calendar) and shifting everything a few days earlier, you can avoid this.
c) Wrong Thing
Hindsight is a wonderful tool, and Reflection is a good substitute. You should focus closely on trivia, and ensure you spend as little time on it as possible. You should use the time you save to think hard about what you really want to achieve. And do it. For most of us, this will involve planning better learning.
d) Wrong Person
Every human being has a wide range of productivity. Tired and stressed, they are clumsy workers, error-prone and petty. Yet each of us is capable of great creativity, astonishing energy and stamina, and happy teamwork. The trick is to bring the right 'you' to each party.