Teachers don’t need more work on their plates; they need shortcuts that actually save time (and sanity). That’s where these tiny tech tips come in. They’re quick, practical, and teacher-tested. Best part? Each one can save you valuable minutes every single day.

Here are some of my favorites ⬇️

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1. Quick Chromebook Log-Out

Did you know pressing Ctrl + Shift + Q twice instantly logs a student out of a Chromebook?
👉 Handy when devices are shared between classes, or if students need to step away from their screen quickly.

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2. Schedule Emails in Gmail or Outlook

Write an email now, send it later.
Simply click the arrow next to Send → choose Schedule send. Perfect for parent emails or those “late-night thoughts” you’d rather send during school hours.

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3. Google Keep Organization

Google Keep is one of the most underrated tools out there. You can pin notes, add reminders, and color code your to-dos.
✨ Try creating one note per subject or duty (lesson plans, IEPs, meetings). It’s a lifesaver for staying organized.

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4. Declutter Tabs with OneTab

If you’re like me, you always have a million tabs open. The OneTab Chrome extension collapses them all into a single list you can reopen anytime.
Perfect for meetings, planning time, or just saving your brain from overload.

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5. Annotate PDFs Without Printing

Skip the printer. With Kami or Adobe Acrobat, you can annotate PDFs directly on your device.
Great for grading, modeling, or prepping virtual lessons — and it saves paper too.

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6. Force a Copy in Google Docs

Want to share a template with students or colleagues? Change the end of the URL from /edit → /copy.
This forces anyone who clicks the link to make their own copy. No more accidental edits to your original.

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7. Share Cleaner Templates with Preview Mode

For an even cleaner look, change the URL ending from /edit → /template/preview.
This gives your audience a read-only preview of the file, with an option to copy if they want. It looks polished and professional perfect for sharing resources cleanly and easily. 

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Final Thoughts

These tiny tech tips may seem simple, but they add up fast. Less time searching, organizing, or fixing mistakes = more time teaching (and maybe even more time for YOU).

✨ Want all these shortcuts in one place? I’ve created a free PDF cheat sheet you can download and keep handy. GRAB IT HERE!

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Jessica

If you’re a teacher, you already know that exhaustion is part of the job. But here’s the truth: a lot of the “wellness advice” teachers hear isn’t actually helping. In fact, some of it is making you even more tired.

Let’s bust a few myths that need to be retired once and for all.

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☕ Myth 1: More Coffee = More Energy

Coffee feels like the only thing keeping you upright some days. But after the 3rd (or 4th) cup, what happens? Jitters, crash, and even worse sleep at night.

Truth: Coffee is fine in moderation, but it’s not a substitute for hydration, protein, or rest. Try water first in the morning, pair your coffee with food, and cut off caffeine by early afternoon so you can actually fall asleep.

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🍎 Myth 2: Skipping Lunch Saves Time

Raise your hand if you’ve “accidentally” skipped lunch because you were catching up on grading or answering emails. (🙋‍♀️ guilty.) But skipping meals makes your afternoon crash even harder.

Truth: A 10-minute lunch with real food (protein + carb + fat) will fuel you way better than powering through. Even a cheese stick + apple beats a granola bar at 3:30.

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🕔 Myth 3: Staying Late Makes You a Good Teacher

It’s easy to think that being the last car in the parking lot proves your dedication. But staying late night after night doesn’t make you a better teacher; it just makes you an exhausted one.

Truth: Boundaries are self-care. Leave when your contract says you can. The work will always be there tomorrow.

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😴 Myth 4: You Can Catch Up on Sleep Over the Weekend

Bad news: your body doesn’t work that way. Staying up late all week and trying to “bank sleep” on Saturday just makes you groggier.

Truth: Aim for consistent sleep + wake times, even on weekends. Pair it with a simple bedtime routine (phone down, brain dump, Calm peptides if you need help winding down) and you’ll feel better all week long.

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💻 Myth 5: You Don’t Have Time for Wellness

Between lesson plans, grading, meetings, and family, wellness feels impossible. But waiting until you “have time” means it will never happen.

Truth: You don’t need an hour at the gym or a spa day to reset. Wellness can be:

• A 2-minute stretch at your desk

• Drinking water before coffee

• Taking a quick walk during planning

• Saying “no” without apologizing

Small resets add up and they actually stick.

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✨ Final Thoughts

Teachers don’t need more pressure or more myths about what wellness should look like. You need realistic, sustainable routines that support your energy, focus, and sleep.

Start by retiring these myths and trying one small shift this week. Your future self (and your students) will thank you.

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👉 Want more simple resets? Subscribe to my Sunday Reset Newsletter for weekly teacher wellness + tech tips.

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Jessica

If you’re a teacher, you know “teacher tired” is a very specific kind of exhaustion. By 8 PM you’re done. By 10 PM you’re wide awake, replaying parent emails, lesson plans, and that one copier jam that ruined your morning.

It’s called teacher insomnia. Tired all day, wired at night. And it makes back-to-school season even harder.

The good news? You don’t need a 90-minute wind-down routine to finally get some sleep. A few simple habits can make a huge difference in how quickly you fall asleep (and how well you stay asleep).

Here’s the bedtime reset routine that actually works. It's been tested and approved by a former teacher who used to live on 4-5 hours of sleep (lol, me).

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📵 Step 1: Put the Phone Down

This one’s simple but brutal: 30 minutes before bed, put your phone down.
No scrolling, no “just one more reel,” no late-night emails.
If you’re tempted, leave it charging across the room. Out of sight, out of mind.

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📝 Step 2: Brain Dump with Voice Notes or Journal

Most of the time, it’s not our body that’s awake — it’s our brain.
Try this:

• Voice notes: “Hey Siri/Hey Google, record a voice memo” → say all the thoughts swirling in your head.

• Journal: Write down tomorrow’s to-do list, that parent email reply, or the random reminder you’re afraid you’ll forget.

Clearing your head = less midnight overthinking.

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💧 Step 3: Calm Peptides (My Secret Weapon) or Drink a Calming Tea

Here’s where my wellness routine comes in. I take Calm peptides about 30 minutes before bed.
They help me shift out of “teacher brain” mode and into “rest” mode.
For me, it’s been the difference between staring at the ceiling replaying emails… and actually falling asleep.

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🧘 Step 4: Quick Stretch or Journal Prompt

Spend 2–3 minutes stretching, or write one line in your journal:

• “One thing I did well today”

• “One thing I’ll let go of tonight”
  This little reset tells your body and brain: the day is done.

  
  
  

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💤 Step 5: Lights Out = Real Sleep

Finally, give yourself permission to go to sleep. Not scroll. Not grade. Not “catch up.” Just sleep.

Because honestly? Rest is productive.

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✨ Final Thoughts

Teacher tired is real. So is teacher insomnia. But with a few small shifts like putting your phone down, brain dumping your thoughts, sipping Calm peptides, and stretching, you can build a bedtime reset routine that actually works.

Try one step tonight and notice the difference. Small changes = better sleep = a stronger human tomorrow.

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Jessica

If you’re a teacher (or just a tired human), you know the feeling: you drag yourself home after a long day, and the last thing you want to do is chop, sauté, and prep a “balanced dinner.” Most nights, dinner ends up looking like cereal, random granola bars, or takeout you didn’t really want.

I’ve been there. So many times.

And while there's nothing wrong with cereal and random granola bars and takeout, sometimes you may want something a little more substantial. 

The truth? Meal prep doesn’t have to be an all-day Sunday event with 27 containers and a week of perfectly portioned lunches. It can be simple, fast, and actually realistic for real life.

Here’s how to meal prep when you’re too tired to meal prep.

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Start With the “One Grocery Bag, Five Meals” Mindset

Instead of planning 10 different recipes with a million ingredients, stick to one simple grocery bag that can stretch into five dinners.

Example: A pack of chicken breasts + a few veggies = sheet pan chicken, tacos, wraps, a rice bowl, and soup.
Bonus: Less waste, less decision fatigue, and way less stress at 5 PM.

Check out some of my One Grocery Bag plans HERE.

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Jessica

Back-to-school season always feels like a whirlwind—new schedules, fresh lesson plans, and about a thousand little things to keep track of. But when it comes to technology, building a few simple routines can save your time and your sanity.

Here are five easy tech routines to start the school year off strong:

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1. Use Version History Like a Safety Net

Accidentally delete an assignment? Student overwrote your beautifully formatted template? No panic necessary. Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets all have a Version History tool. With just a few clicks, you can restore previous versions of a document (or even copy pieces from earlier drafts). Make it part of your routine to check version history before spending time recreating work.

💡 Pro Tip: Teach students how to use this feature, too—it builds independence and responsibility.

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2. Set Up Email Filters to Declutter Your Inbox

Your inbox doesn’t have to feel like a firehose. Spend 10 minutes setting up filters at the start of the year:

• Parent newsletters → Auto-label and skip inbox.

• Student submissions → Route into a single folder.

• Professional development updates → Archive until you’re ready.

This way, the only emails hitting your inbox are the ones that actually need your attention.

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3. Use Voice Notes for Quick Wins

Instead of typing long reminders or trying to capture ideas mid-chaos, use voice notes. Apps like Google Keep, Otter, or even the voice memo feature on your phone can turn your thoughts into text. It’s a great way to capture parent phone call notes, student observations, or reminders on the fly.

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4. Build Student Chromebook Care Routines

A little structure early on goes a long way in preventing mid-year meltdowns over broken or missing devices. Try setting up simple routines like:

• A morning and afternoon Chromebook check-in spot.

• Weekly “clean your screen and keyboard” time.

• Teaching students to charge at the same time each day.

Consistency means fewer tech headaches for you later.

PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE CLOROX WIPES ON SCREENS!! They are fine to use on keyboards and the external parts of the Chromebooks, but not on screens. 

My Fave Screen Cleaning Wipes: (affiliate link)

https://amzn.to/4ndl4kC 

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5. Create Google Keep Checklists for Everything

Checklists aren’t just for groceries. Use Google Keep to create reusable checklists for:

• Materials you need for common lessons.

• Sub plans.

• Weekly classroom reset tasks.

Bonus: You can share lists with co-teachers or even your students for collaborative routines.

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Final Thoughts

The start of the year is the perfect time to put systems in place that will save you stress later. These tech routines are simple to set up but powerful in keeping you organized and sane when the school year gets busy.

✨ Remember: small routines add up to big relief. Pick one to start this week and layer in the others as you go.

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Jessica