Too much to do. So little time to do it all. Does that sound familiar? What we don’t need is another lengthy time-management system. So how about a small one?

In her blog article,The Power of Micro Habits: How Small Changes Drive Big Success in the Workplace, Mary Kelly recommends 10 routines to power your workday. (You might want to create routines for your personal life as well.) Several of these resonated with me so much, I will be adding to my routines.

Here are her 10, along with my usual adaptations and comments for our education world.

1. Start the Day with a Clear Plan – In the words of Yogi Berra, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” Kelly asks you to take five minutes to identify your top three priorities for the day. For me, that means putting stars next to the tasks on my to-do list. I also have things I do on certain days, like which day of the week I write this blog.
2. Use the Two-Minute Rule – Complete any task needing less than two minutes before doing anything else. Kelly suggests email for this. I do that while my morning tea is steeping. This way, before you begin, you have already accomplished something that needed to be done while still leaving plenty of time for the priority tasks. If email is a gateway for you to open more things, find another starter.
3. Take a 60-Second Brain Break –Kelly recommends doing this every hour. Pausing, closing your eyes, listening to a white noise app even for a short as a minute can “reduce stress, improve focus and books creativity.”
4. Stand Up and Stretch Every Hour –Physical activity is good for your muscles and improves your focus and concentration. If you can walk, great, but even a short stretch has lasting benefits. This is something I am adding to my day.
5. Use the ‘One-Touch’ Rule for Emails – Another one to add to my routine. Kelly has four “D’s” to use with email. “Do it, delay it (that means schedule it to handle when you have more time or all of the information you need), delete it, or delegate it.” The last may not be an option, but look for ways to use the other. Whenever you handle a piece of email two or more times, you are losing valuable time.
6. Acknowledge Others Every Day – There is nothing so meaningful as an honest compliment. Find ways to acknowledge students, teachers and others in your life. I sent an email yesterday to my landscaper complimenting his people on the great job they did trimming overgrown trees and bushes. I asked him to pass it along to the crew who did it. He was so pleased to hear it. When you do this at work, you build connections and advocacy.
7. Hydrate Regularly – This one surprised me. Kelly says to take a sip of water at least every 30 minutes. Even slight dehydration lowers your productivity and can be hard to notice. I don’t do this, but I will try.
8. Set a Shutdown Ritual at the End of the Day – Clean up your desk. Make sure the library is ready for everyone tomorrow. You want to be able to start your day ready to go, not finishing up yesterday. It will also be a mood boost when you arrive in the morning.
9. Limit Social Media to Set Breaks – They call it “doom scrolling” for a reason. Try to stay off your phone. There’s nothing there that can’t wait. Kelly suggests designating no more than two times a day to browse so you don’t interrupt your workflow. And even then, be careful of getting lost down that rabbit hole.
10. Write Down One Work Win Each Day – It’s so easy to forget all that you accomplish. Don’t limit yourself to just one. You get a lot done every day. I keep a Success Journal by my computer. I will be recording that I wrote my weekly blog.

If you need a little extra help, Kelly offers a Productivity Sheet you can download. In reviewing these ten, you can see how these routines might help you maintain a more positive mindset. And, when you have a positive mindset your students and colleagues feel it and benefit from it. You are a better leader as a result.