Magazine Overload

Reading Time--Are you in Magazine Overload? How do you stay current in the field?

Many of us receive monthly or bi-monthly magazines from the field. Here are two questions for you to consider along with suggestions as you work on organizing your magazine subscriptions and articles!

1. Do You Really Read Them?

Do you actually read them or is reading them something on your “to do” list?

This is a great time of year to decide on your subscription list(s)!

If you do not read them, why not? You are paying for them and they take up space-hence the Magazine Overload!

If the magazine is not one you want to continue to receive, call the company and cancel it.

If it is due to cancel soon, confirm with the company that you are NOT on AUTOMATIC RENEWAL.

Repeat this process with each magazine you receive.

You should now be down to a list of magazines that you do and will continue to read.

If you do not read them because you never seem to have the time—you need to make the time!

2. Where Are They Now?

What happens to them after you do read them?

I had baskets that I put magazines in after I read them. I kept them because there are some GREAT articles in them. And I knew that article will come in handy in the fall. Mhmmm, right.

You and I both know I’ll either forget about it or not be able to remember where I read that great article on separation anxiety!

Complete avoidance=Magazine Overload!

Look again at the picture I posted:

Do you see the Shining Star magazine?  

THAT magazine has been out of print for a very long time!

I was obviously suffering from Magazine Overload!

Here’s how I started making decisions on magazines from suggestion number 1 above:

I went through my collection of one specific magazine (and I receive 4 each month) and tore out the articles that I liked and wanted to keep.

I set up a binder for my classroom for the articles I was keeping.

I put a divider for each section (Growth and Development; Separation Anxiety, Themes, etc.) and recycled the rest of the magazine.

It was quite freeing!

When a magazine comes in now, I make time to read through it, mark the articles I know I want to keep by placing a sticky note on the page.

When I read through the magazine (within the week I receive it!), I tear them out the pages/articles I want to keep (it is usually only 2 or 3 per magazine).

I place the articles in their own clear page protector in the appropriate section of the binder.

I know have a wonderful collection of resource articles at my fingertips and no longer need three baskets all over my house for the magazines--yes three, I’ve kept them for several years!

Your Turn!

Here are your steps, based on Preschool Plan-It’s motto: Search it, Find it, Plan it! Here’s how:

1. Search it!

Choose ONE of your subscriptions. Call and cancel if you don’t enjoy it and recycle what you have if you KNOW you will not look at them again!

2. Find it!

Go through the magazines you have on hand of this particular magazine.

Find the articles you want to keep from each issue.  Tear it out and place in the section of your binder where it belongs.Recycle the rest of the magazine.

3. Plan it!

Sort the articles by topic. Make a section in your binder for each topic or type (themes, growth and development, art, etc.)

4. Repeat!

Repeat the above 3 steps for each subscription you receive.

Summary

It may seem overwhelming at first, especially if you also have years of monthly published magazines hanging around as I did.

However, you will be happy in the end! Those baskets will now hold flowers and your days of Magazine Overload will be over!

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Go to TEACHER TIMESAVERS MAIN PAGE from this Magazine Overload Page 

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