How to make time for professional development

Toolkit: How to make time for professional development

Are there areas of your teaching that you want to work on and improve? Are you interested in professional development, but never seem to have enough time for learning? 

This free, printable poster, which is part of our professional development toolkit, will give you five practical tips and ideas to help you make learning part of your weekly routine – even if you have just five minutes a week! 

Download poster – How to make time for professional development

Watch the video below to find out more about how to make time for your professional development.

Transcript – How to make time for your professional development

NARRATOR: How to make time for professional development [On screen: How to make time for professional development]. Do you find it difficult to fit professional development into your busy schedule? Don’t wait until you have time, make time with these five simple ideas.  

Assess your time [On screen: Assess your time]. Think about the week ahead. Create a visual map of your planned activities, including work [On screen: Work], housework [On screen: Housework] and other commitments [On screen: Family] [On screen: Commuting]. Where could you fit in a little learning? [On screen: Learning] Even five minutes a week can make a difference.

Make learning a habit [On screen: Make learning a habit]. Find an easy way to incorporate learning into your daily routine. Listen to a podcast during your commute, read an article over lunch or discuss things with a colleague over coffee.

Prioritise [On screen: Prioritise]. Identify your key teaching or learning objectives and determine which are urgent and important. [On screen: 'Learn how to support my learner with vision impairment' within the 'Important and urgent' section of an Eisenhower matrix] Focus on learning activities that support these goals.

Set time limits [On screen: Set time limits]. Short, focused learning sessions are often more effective. Break your learning into manageable chunks and schedule regular breaks to maintain productivity and retention.

Re-evaluate [On screen: Re-evaluate]. Regularly reassess your time-management plan. Look for opportunities to make further improvements.

Poster text

How to make time for professional development

Don't wait until you have time for professional growth – make time! Add learning to your weekly routine to advance your career and stay motivated. Use this tool to plan enjoyable and realistic development activities. 

1. Assess your time 

Think about the week ahead. Create a visual map of your planned activities, including work, leisure and other commitments. Where could you fit in a little learning? Even five minutes a week can make a difference. 

2. Make learning a habit 

Find easy ways to incorporate learning into your daily routine. Listen to a podcast on your commute, read an article over lunch or discuss things with a colleague over coffee. Find something that's manageable for you, and write it in your diary or visual map. 

3. Prioritise 

Identify your key teaching or learning objectives and determine which are urgent or important. Focus on learning activities that support these goals. 

4. Set time limits 

Short, focused learning sessions are often more effective. Break your learning into manageable chunks and schedule regular breaks to maintain productivity and retention. 

5. Re-evaluate 

Regularly reassess your time management plan. Look for opportunities to make further improvements.