Some days, my planning period feels more like wishful thinking than real time to get anything done—especially when you teach lab-based classes or juggle multiple preps.

In this episode, I break down my go-to 15-, 30-, and 60-minute prep routines designed for those inevitable chaotic days when setup, tech problems, or urgent tasks steal your prep time.

If you’re a secondary teacher looking for real-world strategies to cut overwhelm, finish something meaningful, and finally stop lugging that grading crate home every night, you’ll want these practical routines you can actually stick to, even when everything goes sideways. Let’s tame prep time together—mess and all!

Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.

Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute

Get the Planning Period Reset Toolkit—a free set of quick-start tools to help you protect your time, focus faster, and finally finish something… even during chaotic school days. https://khristenmassic.com/reset

Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard

Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach