Several major tasks of a professional educator is to motivate students, impart the proper subject content, instill critical thinking, and encourage a measure of self-confidence that will go beyond the classroom. However, all too often physical educators encounter situations where less skilled students are not only unmotivated, but feel isolated from physical education. Physical educators may also be confined by budgetary considerations and shifts in philosophical orientation that result in less and less time being devoted to physical education. In the best of circumstances, physical educators have precious little time to devote to their subject matter. Physical education should provide lessons in life, health, and well-being, but this is not always a realistic goal given time constraints, and in some cases, teaching strategies utilized by instructors. This article describes a teaching strategy that places time management and critical thinking skills in the forefront of physical education instruction. The literature calls this concept a "tactical approach," and in this case, the author uses invasion games as an instructional model. While the tactical approach is discussed in the context of invasion games, the contention here is that a tactical approach can be utilized "across the board" in many and diverse educational settings. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)