Mastering Time Management with Digital Planning

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"Welcome to the Teaching with Valor Podcast, where we explore actionable strategies to empower educators, inspire parents, and create impactful learning experiences. I’m your host, Don Fessenden.

Today, we’re diving deep into a game-changing tool for teachers: the digital planner. If you’ve ever felt like you’re racing against the clock, drowning in deadlines, or juggling lesson plans with personal obligations, this episode is for you."

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Stay tuned for more episodes, and remember, every student is unique, and every classroom can be a place where all students succeed. Keep teaching with valor!

Episode Transcript

Don (00:09):
"Welcome to the Teaching with Valor Podcast, where we
explore actionable strategies toempower educators, inspire
parents, and create impactfullearning experiences.
I’m your host, Don Fessenden.
Today, we’re diving deep into agame-changing tool for teachers:
the digital planner.

(00:29):
If you’ve ever felt like you’reracing against the clock,
drowning in deadlines, orjuggling lesson plans with
personal obligations, thisepisode is for you.""Time
management is one of the biggestchallenges educators face.
It’s no secret that the demandson teachers’ time seem to grow
every year.

(00:49):
Between planning lessons,grading, meeting with parents,
and tackling a mountain ofadministrative tasks, finding
time to breathe—let alone focuson your personal life—can feel
like an impossible dream.
But what if I told you that onesimple tool could revolutionize
how you manage your time andeven help you regain a sense of

(01:09):
balance?
That tool is a digital planner.
It’s not just about putting yourtasks on a screen; it’s about
creating a system that works foryou, so you can prioritize,
streamline, and stay ahead ofthe curve.""Let’s take a moment
to reflect on the old-fashionedpaper planner.
It’s a staple for many teachers,and don’t get me wrong, there’s

(01:32):
a certain satisfaction inputting pen to paper.
But paper planners havelimitations.
You can’t set automaticreminders, you can’t share them
easily with colleagues, and ifyour schedule changes—which,
let’s face it, happens all thetime—you’re left erasing or
scratching out notes.
It can quickly become more of ahassle than a help.

(01:54):
A digital planner eliminatesthese issues.
It offers flexibility,accessibility, and automation.
You can make changes on the fly,share your calendar with others,
and even sync it across multipledevices.
It’s not just a tool; it’s astrategy.""Imagine this: It’s
Sunday evening.

(02:15):
Instead of flipping through apaper planner to schedule your
week, you open your favoritedigital planning app—maybe
Google Calendar, MicrosoftOutlook, or an app designed
specifically for educators likePlanboard.
You start by entering yourweekly schedule.
First, you block out your classperiods, meetings, and any

(02:35):
after-school commitments.
Then, you add in your personalresponsibilities—things like
doctor’s appointments, familydinners, or gym time.
Next, you prioritize your tasks.
Perhaps you need to finalize alesson plan for Monday’s algebra
class, grade essays from yourhigh school seniors, and prepare
for a parent-teacher meeting.

(02:57):
In your digital planner, youassign each task a specific time
slot.
You can even color-code bypriority or category—red for
urgent tasks, green for personaltime, blue for meetings.
What makes this system sopowerful is that it’s dynamic.
Need to move a meeting?
Drag and drop it to a new time.

(03:19):
Got a last-minute event?
Add it in without disruptingyour flow.
And if you’re prone toforgetting, set reminders that
ping you on your phone orlaptop.
A digital planner ensuresnothing falls through the
cracks.""But the benefits godeeper than just having a tidy
calendar.
Using a digital planner canactually improve your

(03:40):
productivity and mental health.
When your schedule is organized,you feel less overwhelmed.
You can see your entire week ata glance, which makes it easier
to plan ahead and avoid thestress of last-minute scrambles.
Digital planners also encouragebetter work-life balance.
Many of us are guilty of lettingschool tasks spill over into our

(04:03):
evenings and weekends.
By scheduling specific times forwork and personal activities,
you create boundaries.
These boundaries aren’t justgood for you—they’re good for
your family and, ultimately,your students.
A well-rested, balanced teacheris a more effective teacher.""So
how do you start using a digitalplanner effectively?

(04:26):
First, choose a platform thatsuits your needs.
If you’re new to digitalplanning, keep it simple.
Google Calendar is free,user-friendly, and integrates
seamlessly with other tools.
If you’re ready for somethingmore advanced, explore options
like Notion or Todoist, whichcombine scheduling with task

(04:46):
management.
Next, make it a habit.
Set aside time each week toupdate your planner.
Treat it like a non-negotiableappointment with yourself.
And don’t forget to review yourplan daily.
A quick five-minute check eachmorning can set the tone for
your entire day.
Finally, don’t be afraid toexperiment.

(05:08):
Maybe you prefer a minimalistapproach with only your most
important tasks.
Or maybe you love diving intothe details, mapping out every
minute.
The beauty of a digital planneris that it adapts to you, not
the other way around.""I want toshare a quick story from one of
my teaching colleagues.
She’s a middle school scienceteacher and a mom of three.

(05:32):
For years, she struggled withtime management.
Her paper planner was alwayscrammed with sticky notes and
scribbled reminders, and sheconstantly felt like she was
playing catch-up.
Then, she switched to a digitalplanner.
At first, she was hesitant—shewasn’t tech-savvy and worried it
would be too complicated.

(05:53):
But within a few weeks, she washooked.
She loved being able to sync herschool and personal calendars,
set automatic reminders forgrading deadlines, and even
share her schedule with herhusband so they could coordinate
family plans.
She told me it felt like she’dreclaimed her time and her
sanity." Your takeaways!"Asteachers, our most valuable

(06:17):
resource isn’t money ormaterials—it’s time.
A digital planner helps youprotect that resource.
It’s a tool that empowers you totake control of your schedule,
focus on what matters most, andbuild a healthier balance
between your professional andpersonal lives.

So, here’s my challenge for you: Try it. (06:34):
undefined
If you’re not already using adigital planner, download one
today.
Spend an hour setting it up, andsee how it transforms your week.
And if you’re already a digitalplanning pro, share your tips
and tricks with a colleague.
Let’s work together to maketeaching a little less chaotic

(06:56):
and a lot more fulfilling.""Thank you for tuning in to this
episode of the Teaching withValor Podcast.
Remember, great teaching isn’tjust about mastering the
content—it’s about mastering thebalance.
If you found today’s episodehelpful, share it with a fellow
teacher and leave us a review.

(07:17):
And as always, keep teachingwith valor."