Get Your Weekends Back: Adding Organization Tools and Time Management Systems to Your Business

Introduction

I can't count how many times I've heard my teacherpreneur clients say, "I wish I had known there was another way to run my business." It's not that they were unhappy with their income or the quality of their work—they just didn't realize they could be doing so much more with their time. In this article, we'll share some simple tips and tricks you can use in order to start freeing up your weekends and getting them back on track: one day at a time!

You don't have to work weekends

You don’t have to work weekends.

I know as previous (or current) teachers, we have a habit of bringing work home with us that would do better staying at school. But, this is the time to change that. You can improve your work life balance by setting boundaries on your time; thus, making you more efficient and effective in the time you have set aside.

This can be a difficult habit to break though, especially with a new teacher business. So I give you permission to put all your work in one room or one binder and leave it far away from your evening activities for the weekend.

In fact, you can use boundaries and systems to work smarter, not harder.

In the section below, we’ll talk more about how you can create a system that works for you and use digital tools to help manage your time and reduce stress so that you can enjoy the weekend with friends or family (or just have a much needed break from business).

Understand that the more you work yourself into the wee hours of the mornings and on weekends, the more likely you are to see your creativity and excitement about serving your audience wane. That brain fog seeps in and its like you have no new ideas. That is because your brain NEEDs the break to be able to think up new ideas. Give your body and your brain what it needs by dedicating a stopping time for your teacher business. 

Start by planning ahead, and use tools that help you stay organized. You might even consider using a productivity app to keep track of your tasks. Then, when Friday comes around each week, you’ll know exactly what needs doing on Monday morning.

Digital tools for organization

One of the best ways to increase your productivity is by using a planner. I know, I know, cue the eye roll about planners. I can see them stacked around your house now, beautiful paperweights and decor items from years past. But I promise, getting into the habit of writing down your activities is going to be a life save for time management, making it easier to leave at the end of the day.

I suggest finding a system that works for you. Sometimes for me that is post its on my desk (aka my to do lists). I do better writing things out. Once I have brain dumped all my tasks onto sticky notes, I take the time to transfer them into a digital platform. For instance putting in blocks of time into my Google Calendar dedicated to specific tasks. This allows me to visually see what I am doing and how much time it will take (ie not overload my schedule).

Planners (physical or digital) can help you keep track of all of your tasks, appointments, and deadlines. You can also use it as a way to plan out each day in advance so that you know what needs to get done and when it needs to be done. If you would like more help with time management for you (or even your students if you are still in the classroom), check out this Time Management Course with a full ebook of resources and strategies.

You can also find my personal planner (for digital or physical use) here.

Online Calendar tools allow you to easily see what has been scheduled for any given month or week in advance, which makes it easier for you to know what’s going on at any given time during the week or month.

Use a task management system like Trello or Asana if there are certain tasks that need more attention than others (for example: customer support issues). Task Management systems such as these are great for breaking down projects into manageable chunks. This will allow them not only keep track but also make sure they don’t get lost along the way!

Put a system in place

A system is the key to having a productive business. Without one, you will be ineffective and unproductive, which can lead to burnout. An effective system helps you manage your time and resources so that you can focus on what matters most: doing work that brings in revenue for your company.

It’s important to put together a system that works for your personality and business needs so it doesn't feel like work itself—you want it to be easy for everyone involved! The key components of any good organization tool or time management system are:

• Clear instructions on how the process works; this includes details such as where files should go and how frequently they need updating (for example, weekly or monthly). Think of it as if you were to give this routine or system to an employee while training. How would you streamline the process so that it is easy for someone else to both understand and complete. This will also set you up when you begin delegating tasks to contractors or expand your teacher business.
• Someone who will check up on the processes every so often (usually at least once per month) in order ensure everything stays organized; this person can also help troubleshoot any issues if they arise during those checkups--either with the process itself or with individual people within it. If you are working on your own, then you will need to dedicate specific time in your calendar to make sure that everything is running smoothly and make adjustments as needed.
• Be really clear on your priorities. Make sure that you know what your priorities are that you specifically have to do first and don’t be afraid to delegate if you have the funding available. 
• Use POMODORO or some other timer to keep you on track throughout the day. Be sure to stop when the timer rings though. This will create habits for better boundaries and make sure that you are not overworking yourself. If it cannot be done during that time frame, move that task to tomorrow. 
• Try not to multitask if you can help it.
• Incorporate intentional breaks. As we talked about previously, you need breaks to keep you going long term. Don’t forget about adding this to your time management system and throughout the day. It is easy to overlook and deprioritize your own self care, but that is not helpful to you or your business long term.  

Organization and time management systems can help you free up your weekends and spend more time doing the things you love.

Organization and time management systems can help you free up your weekends.

Time management systems can help you spend more time doing the things you love.

This is because they help you stay on top of your tasks, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything. You can use a time management system to organize your life and free up more time for things that matter to you.

Conclusion

We hope that the time management systems we’ve outlined here have helped you see the value in a more organized approach to your business. The key is to find something that works for you and then stick to it! It may take some trial-and-error, but if you keep trying different approaches until something sticks, we believe there’s no way you won’t see improvements in your productivity and profits.

If you would like to see more resources for teacherpreneurs about business tips and promoting better stress management as teacher authors, check out my FREE Teacherpreneur Resource Hub here.