Every job requires time management skills.
In most workplaces, and in conventional teaching jobs, you will most likely simply slot online into an existing timetable and many of your deadlines will be set for you. If you decide to take on online teaching jobs and work from home, those structures disappear.
Developing efficiency in time management is a crucial skill for anyone moving into the world of online teaching jobs.
It's very easy for novices to online tutoring and online teaching jobs to underestimate both the range of tasks that he or she will be faced with and the time that different tasks take to complete.
It can be useful to make a list of every task that your teaching jobs will throw up and then to monitor how much time each one actually takes you. You might be surprised.
Any list will no doubt have time actually spent online teaching, along with preparation time, at the top of the list.
For argument's sake, let's say that those take up one hour each. Four tuition sessions per day will fill up your day. In fact, you can probably add on at least half an hour, if not more, for associated tasks.
Don't forget to build in admin time. You will need to keep on top of your tutoring timetable and any changes that arise.
You will need to allot time for generating invoices and keeping your accounts in order. Especially when you are starting out, you may also have to spend time actively advertising your online tutoring services and recruiting students, which can be time-consuming.
Any job dealing with people will require you to be flexible.
As exams loom, you may find students, starting to panic, requesting extra tuition. Most online tutors and educators will accommodate these requests, as part of their responsibility to their students.
As part of the personalized service that characterizes online teaching jobs, you will also need to respond to the needs of your students as you perceive them.
You may feel that student X requires extra attention to get through. That might mean extra lessons or extra preparation time on your part to target their areas of weakness. Efficient time managers plan for these contingencies and will not end up doing additional work at the expense of their other duties.
Online teaching jobs are not only about teaching but also about learning.
Successful online tutors and teachers will devote time to growing their skills, through courses, networking with others in the field of online learning and familiarizing themselves with relevant educational developments. If you're unwilling or unable to do this after-hours, remember to factor this time into your schedule.
An occupational hazard of online teaching jobs is computer down-time.
Maybe your internet connection isn't working (or perhaps it's your student's). Maybe your computer or software is playing up. Perhaps your skills need upgrading and you can't get something to work. Technology can play havoc with your scheduling and time management.
Managing time in your online teaching jobs is partly a matter of experience, as well as a certain amount of old-fashioned self-discipline.
Tracking the time you spend on different tasks and keeping to a routine that keeps you on top of administration will go a long way towards boosting your efficiency. Without time management skills, you may alienate your students, stress yourself out and do your career in delivering online learning irreparable harm.
