Pastoral leadership is unpredictable. You might start the day with a carefully planned to-do list but by mid-morning you’re juggling a 51ºÚÁÏ concern, a friendship breakdown and an anxious parent’s email.
In a role where urgent matters constantly interrupt planned tasks, making the best use of your time is crucial, and this means developing strategies to manage your workload more effectively. Here are five practical time-saving approaches to help you to stay on top of things:
Time management for pastoral leaders
1. The ‘Must-do, Should-do, Could-do’ approach
Not everything on your to-do list carries the same level of urgency. Each morning, categorise your tasks into three levels:
- Must-do: non-negotiable tasks that must be completed today (for example, a 51ºÚÁÏ report or an urgent student meeting).
- Should-do: important but not time-sensitive tasks that should be addressed soon (for example, following up on a concern or planning an assembly).
- Could-do: tasks that it would be useful to complete today but can wait if needed (for example, reorganising pastoral files or refining an initiative).
By setting clear priorities, you avoid the frustration of an unfinished list and focus your energy where it’s needed most.
2. Create time buffers
It can be tempting to pack your day with back-to-back meetings so that you feel you are maximising your time.
But if you do this you leave no room for the unexpected - and in pastoral care the unexpected is inevitable. As such, building in short gaps between commitments allows you to handle urgent situations without derailing your entire day.
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Even a 10-minute buffer between meetings can make a significant difference in managing last-minute issues. And if nothing arises, it gives you time to refocus or unwind between meetings.
3. Know when ‘good enough’ is enough
Some tasks require careful thought and precision. Others simply need to be done.
Not every email requires a perfectly worded response, for example, and not every initiative needs to be planned to perfection before implementation.
If a brief reply suffices, send it. If a decision doesn’t need hours of deliberation, make it. Knowing when to strive for excellence and when to settle for efficiency is a vital skill in time management.
4. Don’t work in isolation
When unexpected situations pull you away from your planned tasks, lean on your team. Effective pastoral care isn’t about handling everything alone, it’s about working collaboratively.
If you’re tied up with an urgent student issue, delegate other responsibilities where possible.
A strong pastoral team is one that supports each other, ensuring that nothing crucial falls through the cracks.
5. Reprioritise as needed
Even the best-laid plans will sometimes need adjusting. If a crisis arises, be prepared to shift your priorities without guilt. The key is to reassess rather than abandon your original tasks: what can be postponed? What can be delegated? What remains essential?
Accepting that your daily plan is fluid, rather than fixed, helps you to manage the inevitable changes without feeling overwhelmed.
Focus on what truly matters
In pastoral leadership, productivity isn’t about clearing a to-do list; it’s about making an impact. The most meaningful moments often happen outside of scheduled meetings and planned interventions.
By managing your time wisely, you give yourself the flexibility to focus on what truly matters - being present for the students and staff who need you.
So, if you leave work with an unfinished to-do list, don’t see it as a failure. See it as proof that your role is dynamic, that your presence is needed and that you’re making a difference where it truly counts.
Ian Watts is assistant head of secondary (student wellbeing and community) at The International School @ ParkCity, Kuala Lumpur
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