From planning lessons to grading papers, from communicating with parents to interacting with your students, there are too many things to do in a day when you're a teacher.

You can't change much about the types of daily activities you're responsible for, but you have a lot of flexibility in how you do them. And when you find ways to save time, you will stress less and spend more time focusing on the things that really matter, like student learning.

That's what this list is all about! Here are six time-saving hacks that are perfect for teachers who want to free up some time during the school day.

Every teacher can benefit from planning an entire day's worth of lessons ahead of time. This strategy ensures you have the materials you need for the next day and makes it easier for a substitute to teach in your classroom if you call in sick. But if you want to save time on the lesson-planning process, you should adjust your strategy to plan by subject instead of by day.

When you're ready to plan math, plan the next three to five days in one big chunk. When you're done with math, move on to reading and do the same. Planning this way gives you the time to think more deeply about the curriculum and where it's heading. In addition, it reduces the number of times you have to switch subjects and refocus your attention, which saves time.

This approach also creates a little less stress. Instead of having to plan every single day, you can skip a few days before planning again. If you have an especially busy day, you aren't stuck lesson planning at your desk after everyone else goes home. You can tackle the next set of lesson plans the following day.

While we're on the topic of lesson plans, I'd like to add that it's a good idea to use the same lesson plan format consistently. You can create your own format, or you can use a template you find online.

Having a template means you can focus on the content without having to think about the format. It also means all of your instructions are in one place, which makes it easy to switch between subjects or classes.

There are a few things you should add to your lesson plan template that will make life a little easier. First, make sure to leave a little extra room to jot down notes. If you're planning by subject or regularly plan multiple days of lessons in advance, you can use this extra space to write down any changes you need to make to the next lesson without having to redo everything. For example, you can write down that the students need to finish a worksheet first or that there's another activity you'd like to do to ensure they have learned the concept before moving on to the next portion of the lesson.

It's also a good idea to include general information in your lesson plan, like how long each subject is and where to find materials, like textbooks. That way, if a substitute has to use your lesson plan, they'll have all the information they need.

Worksheets are a great way for students to practice what they've learned! You should think about the skills your students need to practice and find worksheets that allow them to practice those skills, but you should also think about you! If you plan to grade the worksheets (more on that in a minute), it's a good idea to choose worksheets that have answer keys.

This tip is especially useful for educators who teach older students since it takes time to solve math problems and find the correct reading comprehension answers. Having an answer key allows you to grade papers right away. It also ensures that you don't make any mistakes!

Don't be afraid to ask other teachers for worksheets that have answer keys. You can also find worksheets with answer keys online! edHelper has tons of worksheets with answer keys available to subscribing members.

There's no one right way to do homework, especially in today's world where there's so much debate about whether students should even have homework. That's a good thing! It means you can rethink how you do homework in your classroom.

Assigning homework doesn't mean you have to grade it for accuracy. Grade for completion instead. Doing so will save a lot of time and still give students extra time to practice important concepts at home.

Are you worried that students won't try if you only give marks for completion? Consider grading one homework assignment each week, but don't tell your students which one you'll grade. You can also grade one or two questions on every worksheet. Because students don't know which ones you'll grade, they will be encouraged to put effort into finding all the answers.

Giving your students numbers can feel a little impersonal, but when done correctly, it can save a lot of time without compromising the relationships you're trying to build with your students.

All you have to do is assign each student a number. Then, you can use those numbers to save time and make things easier in your classroom. For example, cubbies can be numbered so you don't have to redo your cubbies every year, and you can organize piles of student work by number and pass them out efficiently.

Numbers are a handy way to organize bins, workbooks on shelves, lockers, line orders, and even where water bottles go next to the sink.

If you're worried about numbers taking over your classroom, pair student numbers with their names. You might let your students design a name tag for their locker or desk. Make sure you always address your students by their name and that they address each other by name, and they will love using numbers just as much as you do!

Communication in today's technology-driven world can get out of hand fast. You can save a lot of time by streamlining how you communicate with parents and colleagues.

First, decide the primary way you're going to communicate with parents. It can be through an app, a weekly email newsletter, or personal notebooks in each student's backpack. It doesn't matter what strategy you choose as long as you stick to just one.

You should streamline professional communication with colleagues, too. Make sure your colleagues know the best time to get a hold of you, which might also mean letting everyone know when you check your email. Instead of checking your email constantly throughout the day, which sucks up a lot of time, make sure everyone knows you check your email first thing in the morning, at lunch, and at the end of the day. That way, if something is urgent, they know they need to call your classroom.

Don't feel like you have to do everything on this list. Every classroom is different, and every teacher is different, which means you have to pick the strategies that are right for you and your students.

Don't underestimate the power of small changes. Even implementing just one thing can help you regain precious minutes in your day. You will feel less stressed, and you'll have more time to focus on the things that truly deserve your attention.