I'm back to school and the reality has hit! There is always so much to do at the beginning of the school year that I found myself feeling overwhelmed... So I stopped and reflected on what I could do to reduce these feelings and still do all the things I need to get done.

Join me in today's episode where I share a journey with you on a new strategy I have discovered. I share how it is working out for me over a week's period via pod-vlog entries as I drive to and from work and you will hear the ups and the downs and how this really works for teachers!

This method has revolutionised how I get things done while still remaining sane, I hope you try it out and that it helps you too.

Admittedly we probably don’t spend much time at our desks during the school day, but once the kids leave, we still have a lot of work to do. Somehow we need to find the motivation to knuckle down and get productive, be that in lesson planning, grading / marking, going through emails etc.

In order to get that stuff done, be it at school or once we get home, it’s important to have a motivational and inspiring work space - it makes all the difference! So listen to today's episode to learn 6 ways that you can make your teacher desk or work space more motivational and inspiring.

One of the wonderful things about teaching, is that effectively we are our own CEOs of our classroom or lessons. We’re the boss. We decide how to run it. And like all CEOs, we develop and improve when we reflect on our practice.

So I have developed a 4 step process that I try to do on a regular basis, that will challenge you to ask specific questions in order to help you improve your practice in order to help you become an even better teacher!

Since doing these meetings, I have got my lunchtimes back, had more patience, tackled projects I have been putting on and am working towards my goals every day. Listen to today's episode to learn how you too can hold these effective CEO dates with yourself!

Staying organised as a teacher can be exceptionally hard. We have so many responsibilities and hats to wear, unpredictable events happen and so many deadlines to keep on top of! In this episode, you will learn a range of different ways you can organise your teacher life in just 10 minutes!

Differentiation: it's a crucial element of teaching to ensure all your students are able to access your lessons. However, it can be incredibly time consuming to adjust your lesson in multiple ways buy creating a range of resources, printing on rainbow paper, a variety of fonts... You just don't have that kind of time but you also don't want to let your students down; herein lies the catch 22 situation!

In this episode, you will learn some ways that you can differentiate for your students "off the cuff" while teaching and how you can rethink ways to plan your lessons that automatically differentiate for the varying needs in your classroom, saving you time and #teacherguilt!

We all have those days as teachers when we're just not feeling it. We know we have so much to do but just can't get motivated! In today's episode you will learn some secret tricks to help you eliminate as much resistance as possible to help you get done what you need to get done, and keep going!

So Spring is here and that means it's a perfect time to start some Spring cleaning! This is a great time for fresh starts and brightening up your surroundings so today's episode is all about decluttering - the teacher edition!

A cluttered space is a cluttered mind. Your brain is always trying to make sense of the world around it. The more clutter you see, the harder your brain is having to work to decipher what is important. That is going to mentally exhaust you.

You're also likely to be wasting so much precious time if you're surrounded by clutter as you’re going have to make your brain work twice as hard to rummage through all the unnecessary things around you to find what you’re looking for! 

Listen to this episode to learn how you can take practical steps to start decluttering your space, whether that's a classroom, a desk, a cupboard, a trolley or just a bag - start getting rid of your clutter today and save yourself time and mental exhaustion.

Recently I’ve been tackling a lot of the commonly asked questions on from a survey I sent out to my email subscribers a few weeks ago - this one was the highest requested with over 70% of you relating to the problem of dealing with an overflowing workload.

I hear you, I’m there with you and an overflowing workload is something all of us have to deal with. There are many factors that can affect workload including what stage of your career you are in, what kind of school you’re in, how long you’ve been there etc.

But something that can help is to consider that perhaps it's not all about the load but how you carry it? I know that quote can cause feelings of discomfort as it forces us to take some responsibility instead of just moaning about how things are, but I‘ve found there is some truth to it and in this episode you will learn some secret skills I use to help manage an overflowing workload!

One of the biggest complaints us teachers have, is feeling like we don't have enough time to get our job done. I get it, I’m there too. It is phenomenal how much we are expected to do in one day, not including teaching the kids…!? In this episode you will learn some practical ideas for how you can make small changes that will help you feel like you can find the time to fit more in your day!

Ever wanted to know the secret to a more alert mind? What about how you can ensure you are able to do your job as a teacher and still have time to handle all the unexpected things that will undoubtedly come your way during the day? What about how to get your regular tasks as a teacher done faster and more effectively? The answer is this: it's all about routines. 

The routines you have in place (and you have them already whether you realise it or not) will either serve you or hinder you. In this episode, you will learn the ideal before and after school routines that will help you reduce decision fatigue, systemize your tasks, help you feel prepared, leave wiggle room for any surprises and have a productive day!

​How you start your day as a teacher determines how the rest of your day goes. Goes without saying right? Yet why is it that so many people start their day in a frantic panic with last minute rushing around feeling stressed and wonder why the rest of their day follows suit?!

Over the past year or so, I've been on a personal journey of experimenting with the best morning routine to start my day as a teacher. After many trials, I have finally found something that is making a significant difference! When I complete this morning routine, I feel calm, relaxed, energized, centered, focused and nourished in mind, body and soul. Genuinely.

I promise it is not as fluffy as it sounds - this routine is practical and amazing for your wellbeing. Listen to today's episode to learn what you can do to start your day in the best possible way you can so you can continue to teach on and teach strong every day!

Hands up if you want to know some simple ways you can stop overworking your already exhausted teacher brain! In this episode, you will learn some powerful and effective ways to reduce the amount of unnecessary things your brain has to process, leaving you feeling calmer, more rested and more able to focus on the more important things to get your job done.

The end of 2018 is in sight and teachers around the world are exhausted and so ready to crash! But before you do, in order to end the year on a high and make sure you are in a strong position when you go back to school in January, there are some things you can do. Listen to this episode to hear 5 things you can do this week to end 2018 on a high!

In the Teach On, Teach Strong podcast, you've heard some truth bombs about the myths around 'burnout' and 'work / life balance' and how we're setting ourselves up for failure by using and believing these terms. This episode is another hard hitting episode, all about the issues with 'time management'. You can't manage time, you can only manage yourself. Listen to this episode to learn how you can take back control and get on top of your teacher life!

Grading is a teacher's biggest time suck, but it's a task that is absolutely fundamental to being an effective teacher so it just has to get done! Fortunately in this day and age, technology can be a wonderful aid to help us speed this process along quite significantly. In this episode, you will learn some of top tips with how to speed up your grading and data analysis using technology!