This Teacher Time Management Trick Will Save You Hours
I’ve applied this one teacher time management strategy to so many areas of my life, and I cannot tell you how much time it has saved me.
Hey there, I’m Katherine Barker — and today I want to share my best-kept secret for saving hours of prep time and making it so much easier to actually leave your classroom on time.
Ready?
It’s one word: batching.
What Is Batching? (and Why It Works So Well for Teacher Time Management)
Batching is simply doing a bunch of the same task at the same time.
That’s it.
I know — you might be thinking, “Really? That’s the secret?”
But hear me out, because this is where the magic happens.
Every time you switch from one task to another, your brain uses a surprising amount of energy to reset. On the other hand, when you stay focused on one type of task, you become more fluid, faster, and far more efficient.
As a result:
- Less mental fatigue
- More momentum
- Way less wasted time
How I Used Batching in My Classroom Prep
Here’s exactly how batching looked in my real-life planning and prep process.
Step 1: Brainstorm First (Before Printing Anything)
First, I’d sit down at home or in my classroom and brainstorm everything I wanted to do for the next one to two weeks.
I asked myself:
- What do I need to teach?
- What do my students need to learn?
- Which activities, worksheets, or lessons fit into those spots?
At this stage, I wasn’t organizing — just getting everything out of my head.
Step 2: Print Everything in One Go
Next, I printed everything:
- Worksheets
- Activities
- Anything that needed prep
No printing here and there. One big session made everything easier to handle later.
Step 3: Plug Everything Into My Planner
Then, with all my materials printed and in front of me, planning became so much easier.
I’d open my planner and say:
- “This worksheet goes at the math table on Monday.”
- “This activity goes at the independent table on Tuesday.”
And I’d just plug, plug, plug.
👉 Teacher friend tip: Start small. Batch one to two weeks at first. Once you get comfortable, you can plan three or even four weeks in advance.
My “Prep Bin” System (Game Changer)
After planning, any worksheet or craft I intended to use went straight into my prep bin:
- Worksheets to be copied
- Craft masters
- Anything else that needed prep
This way, I always knew exactly what needed to be done — no guessing, no re-checking.
How I Batched My Copying (and Made It Fast)
When it was time to copy, I tried to get as much done in one session as possible — ideally one to two weeks’ worth.
Even though the copy room can get chaotic, catching it at a quiet time and getting in your zone made a huge difference.
Here’s the system I used:
1️⃣ Make the master
2️⃣ Punch in how many copies I needed
3️⃣ While it copied, prep the next master
4️⃣ Paperclip finished stacks and move on
Fast and efficient.
You Can Batch Craft Prep Too
Batching isn’t just for planning and copying.
For example, if you’re prepping crafts:
- Do multiple crafts need the same die-cut shapes?
- Are you cutting circles, eyes, or pieces for more than one project?
Prep all of it at the same time.
The question to ask yourself is always:
What similar tasks can I group together and knock out in one go?
Where Else You Can Use Batching
Honestly? Almost everywhere.
You can batch:
- Organizing cupboards
- Cleaning
- Student assessments
- Report cards
- Classroom setup
- Even life stuff outside of school
Batching is simply grouping similar tasks together so you’re not constantly stopping and starting.
My Final Encouragement for Teacher Time Management
Batching has saved me so much time — and more importantly, so much mental energy.
Try it in your classroom. Start small. See how it feels.
I promise — it will make a difference.
And until then, my friend…
Happy batching. 💛
