5 Steps to Help School Leaders Stay Organized and Focused

Without a system for staying organized, you may feel overwhelmed by missed deadlines, overflowing inboxes, and a never-ending list of to-dos. Instead of confidently leading your school community, you might find yourself bogged down in small tasks that sap your energy and focus.

You’re in the right place! I’ve created a simple, 5-step process based on my experience as a school leader for over 15 years to help you take control of your time, tasks, and focus. By the end of this blog post, you’ll feel equipped to stay ahead of your responsibilities while prioritizing the big things that truly matter.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

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Step #1: Set Up Calendar Alerts to Stay Ahead of Deadlines

A well-managed calendar is a school leader’s best friend. Whether you use Google Calendar, Outlook, or another app, you can schedule reminders that are sent to your email and phone as pop up alerts. This ensures you never miss an important meeting, deadline, or task.

Here’s how to start:

 

• • Create recurring events: For example, schedule a reminder every Friday to review the next week’s priorities.

• • Set alerts 5–10 minutes before meetings: This gives you time to prepare or transition between activities.

• • Use color coding: Assign specific colors to different categories, like “Meetings,” “Deadlines,” or “Personal Time.”

What to look out for:
Don’t overload your calendar with tasks that could be handled in a to-do list. Your calendar should only house time-sensitive commitments and deadlines.

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Step #2: Use Google Keep or a Similar App for Task Management

Long to-do lists can feel overwhelming, but breaking them into actionable items in an app like Google Keep can simplify things. Google Keep allows you to create categorized lists, add reminders, and even share lists with your team.

How to use it effectively:

 

• • Break down tasks: For example, instead of “Plan staff meeting,” create sub-tasks like “Draft agenda,” “Review logistics,” and “Email staff.”

• • Set due dates and reminders: You’ll get a notification when it’s time to focus on a task.

• • Keep it visible: Pin priority tasks to the top of your app for easy access.

What to look out for:
Avoid adding too many tasks without prioritizing. Focus on the top 3–5 items each day to stay productive without feeling overwhelmed.

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Step #3: Map Out Your Week in Advance

Taking 30 minutes on Sunday (or your preferred day) to look ahead at the upcoming week can make a huge difference. This practice allows you to identify potential conflicts, set priorities, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Here’s how to map out your week:

 

• • Review deadlines and events: Identify what must happen and when.

• • Plan blocks of focused time: Dedicate time for big projects like writing reports or conducting classroom walkthroughs.

• • Schedule self-care: Protect time for lunch, exercise, or quiet moments to recharge.

What to look out for:
If your week gets derailed by unexpected events, take 5 minutes each morning to re-prioritize your day.

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Step #4: Hold Weekly Admin Team Meetings

Consistent communication with your leadership team ensures alignment and keeps everyone on track. These meetings don’t have to be long, but they should be intentional.

Here’s a simple agenda to follow:

 

• • Celebrate wins: Start with a quick round of good news to boost morale.

• • Discuss priorities: Focus on 2–3 key items that need immediate attention.

• • Review next steps: Assign action items and clarify deadlines for accountability.

What to look out for:
Avoid using these meetings to solve every problem. Stick to strategic planning and trust your team to handle operational details.

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Step #5: Set Alarms

Sometimes, even the best plans get disrupted. Setting alarms on your phone can help you stay on top of your meetings and appointments.

Here’s how to make this work:

 

• • Create alarms: Schedule alarms first thing every morning for every appointment on your calendar.

• • Set transition reminders: Use alarms to signal the end of one task and the start of another.

 

Bonus 1: Create a Digital Filing System

A clutter-free desk is a must for me. A cluttered desk can lead to mental overwhelm, difficulty focusing, and wasted time searching for items. Adopt a “one touch” rule. Decide immediately whether to file it, act on it, or discard it. Clear your desk and keep only the essentials. At the end of each day reset your office and desk so you come in each morning refreshed and prepped for the next day.

I use colored folders every day…when I say every day…I mean EVERY DAY! I assign colors for projects and priorities.

For me, I always keep what I’m working on in particular folders on my desk and once the project is complete they go in a basic folder and filed either digitally or physically in my desk/filing cabinet. I like to use the clear folders like these. Poly Index Folders

Red- urgent, blue ongoing, etc… Label clearly and once the project or task is complete- FILE IT.

 

Bonus 2: Use Visual Planning Tools

Sometimes seeing your priorities laid out visually can help you stay on track. Tools like a whiteboard, wall calendar, or even a digital dashboard can give you a bird’s-eye view of your week or month. 2025 Yearly Wall Calendar. FYI- I only use this to see the year at a glance and do not put my daily appointments on it. These are for the big items such as campus wide events, assessments, and holidays.

BONUS 3: Filing System That I LIVE By!

Have you heard of the Tickler Filing System…also known as a 43 Folders System? I have used it forever! I live by this.

How the Tickler Filing System Works

The system consists of 43 folders:

 

• • 12 monthly folders (one for each month of the year).

• • 31 daily folders (one for each day of the month).

These folders are used in combination to organize items based on the specific day or month they are needed. You can get these monthly folders on Amazon. I highly recommend this brand because they have lasted me 15 years! Monthly Calendar (Polypropylene)

Step-by-Step Setup

At the beginning of each new month, review the monthly folder and distribute its contents into the appropriate daily folders.

Prepare the Folders:

Label 12 folders for the months (January through December).

Label 31 folders for the days of the month (1 through 31). You can get these folders on Amazon- here.

Organize the Folders:

Place documents, notes, reminders, or tasks into the folder corresponding to when you need to address them.

Review and Maintain:

Each day, check the folder for the current date to retrieve tasks or documents for that day.

At the end of the day, move the day’s folder to the back of the daily folder section to prepare for the next month.