How to Maximise Your CPD Time

Finally having a full day to focus on your own professional development is a rare chance – so make it count with a clear plan and intentional approach

You’ve finally done it! After months of rescheduling meetings, juggling timelines and scrambling to get ahead, you’ve finally carved out an entire day just for yourself. And you plan on using it wisely! Now you need a plan to help you maximise the day – whether you’re off to an EdExec LIVE event, meeting up with fellow SBLs for some communal CPD or simply shutting the office door and turning your phone to silent for the day! Whatever it is, this is your opportunity to invest in your skills and knowledge. Your CPD time starts long before you open your laptop – here’s how to make every minute count.

Coffee, Croissants and Quiet

You can’t work in a room full of clutter – and you can’t learn with a mind full of distractions. Make your morning routine part of preparing for the day ahead. Find a quiet space, grab a hot drink or water and take the time to do some journaling before anything else. Make some notes, think up some questions, scribble down thoughts and be mindful about setting goals. This is all about having that deliberate, intentional start – putting you in the right mindset to focus, absorb information and be present.

On the Road, Rail or Walk

Commuting time is a great opportunity for some micro-learning moments. This could be as simple as reading a magazine article on the train or listening to the latest school business podcast in the car. This should be something gentle and non-intensive, providing background learning that gets you thinking. It’s not about cramming in heavy content but getting those ideas flowing. If you’re meeting colleagues for a shared CPD day, consider a walk-and-talk to sync up on what you both want to achieve.

During Breaks and Lunches

The best way to maximise your time at lunch – is to actually take it! CPD doesn’t work if you try to cram too much in at once. Where possible, turn off your phone and resist the urge to check in with your team – those emails will have to wait too. Give yourself the break you deserve. If you spend the whole time putting out fires and chasing up issues at school, you’re not giving yourself chance to rest. Which means by mid-afternoon, you won’t be taking in anything.

Shoes off, Kettle on, Sort and Store

This is a simple routine to follow, but one that most of us probably don’t do. We often get as far as making a cup of tea, but we don’t follow through with the last step: organising and storing our notes. How many times have you found yourself digging through a pile of random handouts, training materials, or half-filled notebooks weeks after a CPD day? End your day by tidying up your resources, putting things where you can easily find them later. Just as you need a plan at the beginning to get you started, you need to close things off at the end of the day.

When you finally have a day to invest in yourself, it can be tempting to do too much and burn out by mid-morning. By taking things slower and pacing yourself, you give yourself more chance to absorb everything. Maximising your CPD day isn’t about filling every minute with learning – it’s about planning your time in a way that works for you. If you want to skip the goal setting walk for a slice of cake and a catch up with a colleague, do it. If you’d rather blast tunes in the car than listen to a podcast, turn up the volume! It’s your day, your rules.