As a teacher, you’re no stranger to the whirlwind of decisions you make daily. From lesson planning to classroom management to parent communication, your plate is always full. It’s no wonder that burnout is such a common issue for educators. What if there was a way to streamline your decision-making process, reduce stress, and create more space for the important aspects of teaching? That’s where the Decide Once method comes in.

In her book The Lazy Genius Way, Kendra Adachi introduces the Decide Once method, a powerful strategy for simplifying your life by making one decision that serves you every time a certain situation arises. In other words, you make a single decision and commit to it, saving mental energy and eliminating the need for constant re-evaluation. This concept can be an absolute game-changer for classroom teachers who are constantly juggling multiple tasks and making decisions on the fly.

She uses examples like baby shower gifts. Decide this once (ie - I always buy a Hatch Sound Machine + a gift card to one of the places where they are registered. So, when I get invited to a baby shower, I don’t have to think about what I’m going to get.)

But this principle applies to SO MUCH in our teaching lives. Let’s dig into a few of them!

1. Decide Once: Classroom Organization

Classroom organization is one of those things that can make or break your day. How your students store their supplies, how you set up your learning spaces, and how materials are managed all affect your workflow. Instead of constantly rearranging or rethinking your classroom layout, consider deciding once on a system that works for your needs.

For example:

Managing copies: Decide on a system for storing copies for upcoming lessons that make sense to your brain, and keep it.
File organization: Choose a filing system for both digital and physical materials (such as color-coded binders or digital folders in Google Drive). Once you have a system in place, you’ll never have to waste time figuring out where things go or hunting for lost papers.

2. Decide Once: Grading & Feedback

Grading can easily become overwhelming if you’re constantly tweaking your process or second-guessing your approach. By making one decision about how you grade and give feedback, you can save yourself hours of decision-making.

For instance:

Grading system: Decide on a grading system that makes sense for your classroom and stick to it. Whether you prefer a points-based system, rubric grading, or letter grades, once you set the system, you don't need to rethink it each time you grade an assignment.
Feedback format: Decide once on a feedback method you can use consistently. This could be short, targeted comments on each student’s work or audio feedback instead of written notes. By setting up your feedback routine once, you reduce the mental load when it's time to provide it.

3. Decide Once: Classroom Management

Effective classroom management is often about consistency. By making key decisions about how you handle behavior and expectations, you free yourself from constantly having to make judgments in the heat of the moment.

For example:

Classroom rules: Establish your classroom rules at the beginning of the year and decide once how you’ll address infractions. Whether you use a points system, time-outs, or positive reinforcement, sticking with your established strategy helps students know exactly what to expect and saves you from having to re-explain the consequences each time.
Routine responses to disruptions: Decide how you will respond to disruptions, whether it's a hand signal for quiet or a gentle reminder to stay on task. By deciding once, you have a consistent, repeatable strategy in place.

4. Decide Once: Lesson Planning

Lesson planning is one of the most time-consuming aspects of teaching, and the constant need to adapt plans to fit different situations can drain your energy. The Decide Once method can help streamline this process.

Email templates for parent communication.

Template system: Decide on a lesson plan template or format that works best for you (and your students). Whether it’s a digital tool like Google Docs or a printed planner, once you’ve found a template, use it every time to save time on planning.
Lesson structure: Decide on the general structure of your lessons (i.e., how much time you want to allocate to each part of the lesson—direct instruction, group work, independent practice, etc.) and use this structure to guide all your lessons.

5. Decide Once: Parent Communication

Communicating with parents is crucial but can become a time-consuming task if you’re constantly rethinking how to approach it. By deciding once on a system for communication, you save yourself time and stress.

For instance:

Weekly updates: Decide once that you will send a weekly email update or post on a class website to inform parents about what’s happening in the classroom. This keeps communication consistent and relieves you from the pressure of deciding how to communicate on a case-by-case basis.
Email templates: If you’ve ever spent entirely too much time overthinking a parent email, using a template system can really make ‘deciding once’ even easier. Once you have one, really great email written, save it and re-use it. I have a few to get you started right here.

The Power of 'Deciding Once'

The beauty of the Decide Once method is that it helps you automate decisions, making your daily routine less stressful. When you stop wasting mental energy on repetitive decisions, you have more bandwidth for what truly matters—like fostering student relationships, creating engaging lessons, and staying inspired as an educator.

By simplifying your approach to classroom organization, grading, behavior management, and communication, you’ll have more time to focus on the heart of teaching: your students. Embrace the Decide Once method and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with fewer decisions and more intentional, streamlined systems in your classroom.

Try implementing one Decide Once strategy today and watch how it transforms your teaching routine. You might be surprised by just how much it simplifies your day and supports your well-being!

What Decide Once strategies are you excited to try in your classroom? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Simplify Your Teaching with the 'Decide Once' Method: A Game-Changer for Classroom Teachers