What Is Productivity?
Productivity is the state of being able to create, particularly at a high quality and quick speed. In short, productivity can be called the ratio between the inputs we give and the outputs we receive. An example of productivity is being able to make top-notch school projects in a limited amount of time. If a student starts writing an answer of 250 words, it would take him 15 minutes approximately. If that student succeeds in writing the answer within or less than 15 minutes then it would be called a productive task. The same goes for teachers, teachers also have productive and unproductive days. For example- a teacher plans to finish seven tasks in a day but ends up completing only 5, then it would be called an unproductive day for the teacher. There may be many reasons for having an unproductive day, the following are two major reasons that might make a teacher’s day unproductive.
Two Reasons For Being Unproductive
- Spending too much energy on things you can’t control- There are certain events in our day that are important for us and need our attention. But certain events in our day do not need our energy and time but we tend to invest our energies into such tasks. For example- Thinking about the future and imagining scenarios. Such unnecessary tasks may make our day unproductive.
- No clear vision- Not having a clear task list at the beginning of the day may make the whole day unproductive. Imagine leaving your home without knowing where to reach, it is exactly like that. Not knowing what to do and then planning what to do may consume a major chunk of your day and hence lead to an unproductive day.
Five Tips To Be Productive
- Prioritize your tasks- Teachers have gazillion things on their plate at any given time of the day. To be able to finish everything on time without making any errors, teachers should first make a list of everything they need to do. The next step is to identify the tasks that need to be done on a priority and then the tasks that can wait for the second half of the day. Prioritizing tasks can be an effective way of being more productive at whatever you do.
- Break tasks into smaller pieces- From coming up with the right teaching strategies to dealing with and managing many different-minded students, a teacher has to go through it all. Breaking their tasks into smaller pieces will definitely help the teachers in completing everything on time. Hence, at the end of the day, they will surely feel more productive.
- Take mini breaks- From teachers to students, every individual who works for long hours needs a break from their work. Not only to refresh their mind but also to be effective and productive at whatever they do. Taking mini-breaks is a proven technique for staying focused and motivated even after long working hours.
- Have fixed days for grading- Make sure to have fixed days for grading and reviewing the assignments received from students’ end. Sitting every night for grading student assignments may consume a lot of time and energy. Having dedicated days for tasks like planning and grading is always better when one wants to stay productive.
- Do not overwork- When it comes to teaching, teachers always tend to overwork. They are always occupied with one thing or the other throughout the day and even after their work hours end, their work does not. The reason for such situations can be no set time for tasks that seem light but consume a lot of time. Teachers should always have a timetable for their secondary tasks like preparing student feedbacks etc. This will not only help them in staying productive but will also prevent them from overworking.
"It's not knowing what to do, it's doing what you know." -Tony Robbins
Teaching is not a trivial task. There are a lot of things that teachers need to take into consideration. Starting from the types of learners in the classroom to the pace at which each student learns, there are countless things that affect the learning outcomes and academic performance. Managing time and being productive can sometimes be difficult for the teachers but having the right mindset and sticking to a good time management plan can help any teacher stay productive and efficient.
Happy Teaching!
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