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Important vs Urgent: The Daily Checklist

I wrote earlier about the battle of important versus urgent on your attention. The truly important tasks get brushed aside by the suddenly urgent.

Then, I came across this post on maintaining a daily checklist as a way to make sure to complete important, but easily forgotten tasks. Some examples:

  1. Have an interaction with someone new
  2. Write down three things you’re grateful for
  3. Go on a 20 minute walk

Great reminders for things that are pretty simple to do, and have a significant long-term impact, but just get lost in the chaos of daily life.

A Classroom Daily Checklist

Creating a classroom daily checklist would be an amazing way to establish your class culture for the year. Ask the class: What should we do every day or every week at school? Maybe limit it to three or five, and nothing that takes more than a few moments.

A list might include:

  • say hi to someone new at recess
  • give up a turn for a friend
  • write down a new fact you learned

The list could even extend home, for things students want to do beyond the classroom. Of course, there’s no requirement to always do everything, nor a punishment if you don’t. The list is simply there to remind us of what’s really important.

A List for Teachers

Want to focus on your own important tasks as a teacher? You might have your own daily checklist with items like:

  1. Speak one-on-one with each of my students.
  2. Read a chapter from a teaching book on my shelf.
  3. Take two silent minutes before students enter the room to emotionally prepare.

A simple little checklist can help ensure that those important tasks don’t get overwhelmed by the urgent.

Previous Burning Out? Focus on the Important, Not the Urgent
Next Raising Our Levels of Moral Development

📂 Filed under Don't Burn Out.

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