Time, Priorities & Focus

In our work with schools, one challenge comes up time and time again — there’s simply not enough time. For school leaders, every day brings competing priorities: staffing issues, parental queries, curriculum changes, data deadlines, and safeguarding concerns. The pace is relentless, and it’s easy for leaders to feel reactive rather than intentional.

That’s why we’ve created the Time, Priorities & Focus Toolkit for School Leaders — a practical collection of reflective tools designed to help busy leaders regain control, protect their wellbeing, and lead with clarity and confidence.

Why Time Management Matters in Leadership

According to the Teacher Wellbeing Index 2024, over 70% of senior leaders report regularly working more than 55 hours a week, and many say they struggle to find time to focus on what truly matters. When time management slips, so does wellbeing — and over time, this affects performance, decision-making, and team morale.

Strong time management isn’t about working faster; it’s about working smarter. It’s about choosing where to invest your time and energy to make the greatest impact — and having the confidence to say no when you need to.

The toolkit helps leaders move from a reactive state (“I just need to get through today”) to a proactive one (“I know where to focus for the biggest difference”).

Inside the Toolkit

The toolkit includes seven easy-to-use visual tools, each designed to support reflection, focus, and balance:

• Eisenhower Matrix – Prioritise by urgency and importance
• 4D Method – Do, Defer, Delegate, Delete
• Weekly Priority Planner – Identify your Top 3 priorities
• Time–Energy Matrix – Balance productivity with wellbeing
• Value vs Effort Matrix – Find high-impact, low-effort wins
• Boundary and Reflection Planner – Protect time for focus and rest
• Meeting Purpose Filter – Run purposeful, outcome-driven meetings

Each tool helps leaders make better choices with their time — reducing overload, improving clarity, and setting a tone for sustainable leadership. Find the toolkit here.

Lessons from My Leadership Journey

When I was a deputy headteacher in a large secondary school, I often found myself juggling urgent issues all day and realising, by 5pm, that I hadn’t touched any of the work that would move the school forward strategically. It wasn’t that I lacked discipline — it was that I hadn’t made time to think about where my time went.

Once I started using tools like the Eisenhower Matrix and Weekly Priority Planner, everything changed. I began protecting time for the important-but-not-urgent tasks — the conversations, planning, and reflection that truly shaped our culture. It took consistency and some trial and error, but it brought calm and focus to an otherwise chaotic week.

How to Encourage Your School Community to Engage

1. Model the approach – When leaders use these tools openly, they show that reflection and prioritisation are valued parts of professional practice, not signs of slowing down.
2. Embed them in team meetings – Start a meeting with a brief reflection using one tool, such as the 4D Method, to identify what can be delegated or deferred.
3. Link to wellbeing – Remind staff that better time management supports energy, focus, and balance — it’s not about squeezing more in.
4. Celebrate success – Share examples of small changes that made a big difference. The toolkit works best when it feels like a shared journey, not a checklist.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

It’s easy to overuse productivity tools and end up feeling busier. The key is reflection, not perfection. Choose one or two tools that genuinely help you — for example, the Weekly Priority Planner and Boundary Planner — and embed them gradually.

Another pitfall is trying to do it alone. Time management is most powerful when it’s part of a supportive culture, where leaders model boundaries and talk openly about what’s realistic.

Why Partner with People First

At People First, we specialise in supporting educators to thrive through leadership development, wellbeing coaching, and culture change. Our Time, Priorities & Focus Toolkit is designed to work alongside your wellbeing strategy — helping schools create environments where staff feel supported, productive, and balanced.

When schools work with us, they gain access to:

• Leadership coaching focused on sustainable performance
• Tailored time management and wellbeing programmes
• Practical strategies for embedding a culture of focus and balance

Creating a Culture of Time Awareness

Time management isn’t a one-off skill — it’s a mindset that grows through reflection, accountability, and trust.
This toolkit offers a way to start those conversations and build habits that protect both wellbeing and impact.

Stay tuned for our next blog, where we explore the first technique in the series — The Eisenhower Matrix — and share how one busy assistant head used it to take control of her priorities and rediscover focus in her working week.

If your school would like to explore how our Work and Wellbeing Programmes can support your leadership team, get in touch with People First. Together, we can help you create a school culture where time is used wisely, energy is protected, and people can flourish.