Dear Nona,

I’m overwhelmed trying to keep up with all the meetings, paperwork, planning, and tasks I need to do. I feel like I’m drowning in my to-do list. Any advice?

— Running on Empty

Dear Running on Empty,

You are not alone. The modern teacher workload is unsustainable and often invisible to the people piling more on your plate.

Let’s get strategic.

—Prioritize What Actually Matters

—What impacts students? Focus on that first.
—What’s just compliance noise? Do it quickly and move on.
—What can wait? Let it.

—The 3-Task Rule. Each day, pick three things that actually need to get done. Just three. Anything else is a bonus, not failure.

Planning, grading, and “replying to 4,000 emails” are not all one task. Break it down. And remember: The inbox does not get to run your life. Check it at set times. Not every five minutes.

—Make Peace With “Good Enough.” Not every worksheet needs a redesign. Not every anchor chart needs to be Pinterest-worthy. Done is better than perfect.

—Protect Your Planning Time. Treat it like gold. Lock the door, close the browser tab, silence the notifications. If someone asks for “just a quick chat,” you’re busy. Full stop.

—Stop Trying to “Catch Up.”  You’re not falling behind. The system is sprinting ahead. Your job is not to keep pace with the impossible.

—Give Yourself Permission to Say No.

“That’s not something I can take on right now.”
“I need to focus on what’s already on my plate.”

You don’t have to say yes to every committee, sub coverage, or after-school event.

What to Expect Next:

—You’ll still feel the pressure—but you’ll be clearer on what actually matters.

—Some things won’t get done—and that’s okay.

—You’ll start to breathe again.

Want to hear a secret? Some of the best teachers I know leave things undone on purpose. To survive. To teach again tomorrow.

Remember: You’re not failing. You’re trying to do the work of three people. Be kinder to the one who showed up. ♡

— Nona

More Pro Tips

—Plan tomorrow before you leave today. It quiets the brain.

—Create a “Can-Wait List” next to your to-do list. It’s strangely satisfying.

—Use templates for everything. Reuse your brilliance.

—15 minutes of quiet breathing > 2 hours of panicked multitasking.

Ms. J: “I keep a rolling ‘parking lot’ list. If it’s not urgent, it goes there. I review it weekly—most of it never needed doing in the first place.”

Mr. H: “I block grading/planning hours in my calendar and treat them like unmissable appointments. Even with myself.”

Mrs. L: “I schedule ‘mental off-duty time’ every day. No school talk, no school thinking. Saved my sanity.”