Teaching to the TOP

013. Our Biggest Regret After Years in the Classroom

Have you ever reflected on your past and thought, I regret doing that as a kid, or I regret not going out more and being with my friends? Chances are there is probably something out there that resonances with you in this fashion. There is a quote that reads, There are no regrets in life, just lessons.
This cannot be more true for everyone. Our lives no matter how imperfect they belong to us. It is what has molded us to the person we are today. Instead of dwelling on your regrets in life, think of them as life lessons that will help to guide your future. 
We cannot change the past, but we have every bit of power to change the future. 
OUR BIGGEST REGRETS AND THE LESSONS LEARNED
[5:26] Spending large amounts of time and money
[ 7:45] Creating Resources and Materials
[12:16] Keeping up with the Jones’
[17:16] Staying late to get things done
[20:32] What do we wish we had done?
CONCLUSION
We will always make decisions in our lives and careers that will not fit our goals. What is important to remember is that we cannot dwell on the past and the decisions that have already been made. It is better to see those decisions as life lessons and begin making a change that will continue to make our future brighter. 
Don't forget to download the FREEBIE: 7 Ways to Jumpstart Your Teacher Productivity
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

012. How to Feel Motivated When You Are Tired

We pack our bags at the end of a school day with full intentions of grading the quizzes from math class that day, reading the novel that you just started with your group, or cutting out the circles that you need for tomorrow’s craft in science. 
You take the treacherous walk to your car carrying your backpack, lunchbox, purse and now a bag filled with things to do. You drive up to your home and you suddenly feel this overwhelming feeling of tiredness. You still have so much to do, but instead of taking the actionable items out of your teacher bag you flop on your couch and turn Netflix on. It is so much easier to avoid the things we have because let’s face it, it’s not like you’ve been working all day *note the sarcasm. However, not getting the tasks done in our bags only leaves us stressed out and overwhelmed. 
[3:23] TIPS TO FEEL MOTIVATED WHEN YOU ARE TIRED
[4:01] TIP #1: Reflect on your WHY
[6:44] TIP #2: Write the things you need to do down
[10:33] TIP #3: Start with one small thing
[12:38] TIP #4: Reduce distractions and change your scenery
[15:29] TIP #5: Surround yourself with things you enjoy
[19:01] TIP #6: Set a timer and work for that set amount of time
[22:12] TIP #7: Take short breaks
[24:23] TIP #8: Plan a reward for yourself
[28:01] TIP #9: Get active
[29:55] TIP #10: And if all else fails, take a power nap
CONCLUSION
Motivation can be difficult to find, but hopefully one or more of these tips help to inspire you to try and build the willpower to accomplishing that pesky tasks on your to-do list. Even if you are feeling completely defeated, try and find something that inspires you. Remember, we have all been there at one point in our lives; just know that there is a brighter side to the end of the rainbow. 
Don't forget to download the FREEBIE: 7 Ways to Jumpstart Your Teacher Productivity
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

011. How to Leave Feeling Prepared for the Next Day

We’ve all had those moments when we wake up and we already know that attempting to make through to the day with our 20+ students is just NOT going to happen. This is where you fall under two categories: 1. You begin stressing out because you have nothing ready but need to somehow will yourself to get your plans together for a sub or 2. You have all your things laid out and ready to go so that anyone walking in can easily pick up where you left off. 
Which are you? 
Have your lessons and materials ready to go before you leave the next day can not only help you in emergency situations but it can also help you to feel less stressed and happier. The struggle is just getting to the point where this becomes a habit and not a chore. 
In today’s episode, we are discussing the steps you can start taking today in order to feel prepared for the next. 
It’s probably no surprise that checklists are an easy way to always ensuring that you are leaving feeling prepared. This was you don’t forget to leave something off on those days where your brain is a bit foggy or flustered and it becomes somewhat of a ritual for you. The benefit of having a checklist is that you can re-use it time and time again. We also love that you can share this checklist with your teacher-bestie and on those days where things just don’t go as planned you always have someone there who has your back!
[5:47] STEPS FOR CREATING A CHECKLIST
[5:59] Benefit of a checklist over a to-do list
[7:38]Step #1: Find a repetitive task to create a checklist for
[8:44] Step #2: Write down all of your steps as you are doing it
[11:09] Step #3: Find ways to minimize your checklist
[13:09] Step #4: Store your checklist
[15:47] Step #5: Use it and reset it
Click HERE to download the FREE Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Your Ideal Checklist!
CONCLUSION
Once you solidify your checklist, you can use it on a daily basis and know that you have finished everything you need to finish in order to be prepared for the next day! This means that you can leave school feeling stress-free!
Don’t forget to go back and revise as you find that your needs are changing for that routine. We find that we did more for our learners at the beginning of the year than at the end of the year. So because their needs changed, our routines changed. 
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

010. How to Feel Like a Good Teacher Without Feeling Overwhelmed

We have all felt it. You know. That feeling of success and that feeling of complete and utter defeat. When you feel really good in one area, another area suffers, and this leads you to feel self-doubt and anxiety that you are not performing the way that you should be. The answer is not to be good at everything or get all the things checked off your to-do but more about finding the balance that works for you and those individuals that are in your life. 
This is the one thing that so many people ask us: “How do you do it all?” People see us and the videos we put out, but they don’t realize that we had to sacrifice a date night or got into an argument for working too hard in order to make it happen. All you see in our social media presence are happy moments. 
Now while you may not be on social media, you still have a lot of parts that you play in your own life. All those parts require your attention and in order to ensure that you slow it down and pay attention to your mental and physical health, we have some tips on how to feel like a good teacher without feeling overwhelmed. 
[4:46] Tips for Feeling Like a good Teacher, Mom, Wife, etc… Without Feeling Overwhelmed
[5:20] Tip #1: Stop comparing yourself to other teachers
[8:07] Tip #2: Let go of perfectionism
[10:38] Tip #3: Say no to some things so you can say yes to other things
[13:55] Tip#4: Stop moving the goal post
[15:38] Tip #5: Return the focus to your students
Above all, remember that what you give every day in and outside of the classroom is appreciated by so many. You are making a difference and giving back. Stop being like everyone else and instead be you. There is, after all, only one you.  
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

009. The TOP Strategy to be Prepared Months in Advance

We all have those teachers in our buildings. You know. The ones that have it all together and are able to leave no more than 20 minutes after the kids are dismissed. They seem so cool, calm and collected and have every resource printed and ready to go. 
Each time you see them, you secretly wonder “How. How are they able to do it all?” You beat yourself up because you wonder what you are doing wrong and why you can’t be like that teacher. We have all felt this way at some point in our careers. Our goal is to help give you strategies so that you can be that teacher. 
We’ve broken down this topic into three important categories: Time, Productivity and Organization. See what we did there?
[5:00] TIME
[5:06] Using Micro-Productivity
[6:56] Batching 
[9:42] Plan to Tackle Your To-Dos
[10:59] ORGANIZATION
[18:32] PRODUCTIVITY
Click HERE to download the FREE Monthly Guide to Your Planning Success!
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

008. Get More Done Using ONE Simple Trick

Batching is our JAM! When you understand the power of batching and utilize it to help you gain back your time and feel less stressed, you will never want to go back to your normal to-do list again!
In our episode How to Lesson Plan Like a PRO, we talked about the power of project planning and in there we gave you a teaser that this week was all about batching. For all those out there that are already batching their work, they will tell you how it has helped them to become more efficient. It’s true. 
When you bake cookies, you don’t bake one cookie at a time. NO! You batch them. This is how you need to view your productivity. When you batch your work your productivity increases and that leads to less stress and a happier YOU. 
[1:37] But first! We want to hear your Time Sucking Hurdles! Be sure to click here to share your Time Sucking Hurdle with us and you can be featured in our next episode. 
[4:00] In our last episode we talked a little about multitasking versus task-switching, and before we move on to the steps to get you started with batching, we want to revisit what this means. For those of you out there thinking that you are fantastic multitaskers and you don’t need batching, what if we told you that you are not truly multitasking? In fact, what if we told you that you are actually task-switching?
Multitasking is the act of completing two tasks at once. For instance walking and chewing gum. Sweeping and talking on the phone. Those are examples of multitasking.
Task-switching is the act of moving back and forth from one task to the next. Your brain never really gets to focus on one thing because it doesn’t have enough time to process what it is doing. 
Batching helps to prevent task-switching and gets your brain laser-focused on one “like” task. So let’s stop task-switching! #LetsStopTaskSwitching
Now you’re probably wondering what you can actually do for batching. Well, we’ve got you covered because there are so many areas that you can batch in your life! Answering emails, grading, lesson planning, copies, and laminating are only a few ideas that will get you started. You can also head over to the home page and signup for our 7 Ways to Jumpstart Your Teacher Productivity freebie and get so many more ideas!
Now let’s jump into these steps. 
5 Steps to Getting More Done
[8:15] Step #1: Plan Ahead
[10:26] Step #2: Decide How Long it Should Take
[12:45] Step #3: Choose a Time to Batch
[16:14] Step #4: Gather All of Your Materials
[18:00] Step #5: Get it Done
[21:22] Review the Steps
CONCLUSION
Remember that batching works best for projects that can be broken down to those like tasks. The hardest part is planning. Taking the time to plan each of these steps will ensure that you are successful, but we are confident that if you do follow these steps you will see the reward greater than you can imagine. 
Click HERE to download the FREE Batching Organizer!
Let us know what batching has done for you! Be sure to leave a comment here or over on iTunes!
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

007. Lesson Planning Like a PRO

This is a topic that we think you all are going to absolutely LOVE! Today, we are talking about lesson planning. Yup. We said it. Lesson Planning. We want to dive deep into getting your lesson plans done so that you can leave on Friday feeling ready for the next week. 
But here is the thing, lesson planning is NOT a to-do. It’s not something you write to write down on your checklist because lesson planning is a project. In this case, it is a recurring project. When we understand that lesson planning is a project then we are more capable of tackling it with a separate process. A process that is unique to project planning. 
Now, if you are already asking the question, “Am I able to apply this to any project?” Absolutely! You can! We are using lesson planning as an example for this episode because it is a project that EVERY teacher has on their plate, but you can use these steps for any project no matter if it is a one-time project or recurring project. 
7 Steps to Lesson Planning Like a PRO!
[6:50] Step #1: Define your End
[8:37] Step #2: Set Your Deadline
[10:13] Step #3: Brain Dump
[14:03] Step #4: Create a List of Materials
[15:28] Step #5: Group Related Tasks Together
[19:10] Step #6: Find the Time to Batch
[20:20] Step #7: Monitor Your Progress
[20:58] Review of the Steps
CONCLUSION
Leaving school at the end of the week knowing that your plans are ready all the way down to the copies is truly life-changing, but it’s not rocket science. In fact, it’s quite simple when you break things down into actionable steps that allow you to see the whole process. Give this a try and be sure to share how it has worked for you!
Click HERE to download the FREE Project Planning Organizer!
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

006. How to ACTUALLY Finish Your To-Do List

We’ve all experienced the Neverending To-Do List. The list that makes you feel as though you can’t breathe and your heart is falling to the pit of your stomach. We have also experienced the satisfaction of marking items off of our to-do list and feeling the accomplishment that follows. 
A To-Do list is an incredibly useful tool. It helps to keep our focus, provides us with things to accomplish when our brains are not functioning properly. A good to-do list also frees up space within your brain. Our brains, the majority of the time, cannot remember every to-do that you have thought of within any specific time frame. This is what causes the dreaded feeling of what was I getting?  at the grocery store. 
When we take the time to really think about all the tasks that we need to accomplish and we write them down, you also become more present at the moment and dare I say, sleep better. 
So we know that a good to-do list is valuable. We know that we can feel less stressed when we have one, but how do you ACTUALLY get those items checked off? 
[3:50] Steps to ACTUALLY finishing your To-Do list
[4:05] Step #1: Get it Down
In this step, the focus is on how to get your to-do’s down. Writing them on random pieces of sticky notes and leaving them around the classroom, may not be as productive as you’d think. 
[13:20] Step #2: Sort It
Once you have your to-dos created and in one location, it is time to sort your lists. This step will help you to get rid of distraction and focus on accomplishing the to-dos that need your attention the most. 
[13:55] The method that we use and that we find to be quite useful is The Eisenhower Method for Taking Action. 
[16:05] If that method seems to overwhelm you a bit, start smaller by creating three categories: needs to be done today, needs to be done this week, and needs to be done this month. 
[20:05] Step #3: Schedule It
When are you going to do it? Yes, you have your list and you have them sorted into the most important tasks, you still need to determine when you are going to do it. 
[22:35] Step #4: Get It Done
Now, it’s the hardest part! Getting the list done. You have the tools, you know the strategies, but now it’s up to you to get it all done! Again, be like Nike and just do it!
Keep in mind that with these to-do’s you do not want to have tasks that are recurring. These to-dos should be built into your schedule already. These are tasks that come up time and time again and not only do they have a place in your schedule but they also have their own checklist. Adding every time that you can think of will only overwhelm you. 
We will be sharing more about the projects or recurring to-dos later on in another episode! We hope that you feel inspired and equipped to tackle your to-do’s and take control of your time! 
Click HERE to download your FREE Finishing Your To-Do List Cheat Sheet!
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!