How can you effectively rest and ground
yourself in your purpose?
With summer upon us, school and system leaders enter the ‘in-between time’ of the year when they reflect on the lessons and challenges of the past year while planning or setting the stage for the year to come. During this time, it is critically important to rest, celebrate, and reset.
Engaging in this three step process can help you and your team boldly step into the next cycle of work with greater energy and focus.
Rest and Recharge
We can’t stress this enough. Regardless of what role you play in the K-12 education space, staffing shortages and greater turnover have made the day-to-day even more complex and demanding. So rest and recharge– take a break or schedule a vacation or an opportunity to simply unplug.. Although you may know the research on the value of recharging, we’ve seen far too many leaders fail to take the adequate time needed to refuel for the work ahead, which puts them at greater risk for burnout or exiting the field. Take the time to rest. Not only will it help you, but it will also serve as a positive signal to others that it’s okay, and encouraged to do so. Don’t wait – can you take off one day? One week? Commit to your rest and make it happen.
Celebrate the Wins
Just as there is much work to be done, there are also things worth acknowledging and celebrating. Make sure you prioritize this. . Take the time to consider what wins – big and small – you and your team have accomplished. Sit in gratitude for the effort, energy, and resources that were required. Engage your team and stakeholders in this process and share these stories to inspire and validate their efforts.
Find or Remind Yourself of Your Purpose
Leading in education is “heart” work and often it is our sense of purpose and mission that compels us to do it every day. So, what is your ‘why’? Why do you show up to do this work? What is the legacy you want to leave for the next generation? Taking time to reflect on these questions and sharing your answers with others will help bring clarity and reconnect with your purpose.
Working in education can be difficult work, but with some intentional practices such as these, leaders can emerge with the energy and drive to stay in this foundational industry longer. Now more than ever, it’s important that we prioritize our mental, emotional and physical health to remain in service at an optimal level.