School Leaders must use the Summer to Rest, Recharge, and Refocus
It feels like school leaders have faced more challenges in the past two years than any other time in history. Of course, every generation of leaders has faced a variety of challenges, and we are not alone in this. That said, today’s school leaders are drained, and they need to use this summer to recharge!
The summer of 2020 was all about Covid and preparing for an uncertain 2020–2021 school year. After surviving that year, we spent the summer of 2021 trying to find a way to make the next school year as normal as possible. It is time to step back, recharge, refocus, and recommit to ourselves so we are in the best position to lead our schools in the fall of 2022. Here are several suggestions that I believe will leave school leaders feeling rested, recharged, and ready to return next year.
Develop a plan for the summer and allow for flexibility:
At the end of the school year, in early June, I take a few hours to outline how I want to use the summer. I focus on both my personal life and my school life. I ask myself a series of questions:
- What do I need to do to close out the previous school year? Closure to the previous year gives me a sense of accomplishment and the ability to move forward.
- How can I spend time with my family in ways I could not do during the school year? My family sacrifices a lot for me to be in this role, and I need to make the most of my time with them when school is not pulling me in other directions.
- What are my goals for this summer (personal and professional)? Setting and achieving goals makes all of us feel better. A meaningful summer brings a positive mindset into the fall.
- How can I schedule my time to meet these goals? I have to be practical and put myself in a position for success.
- What will I do if I need to pivot or change my timeline? I have to bring an open mind to the summer and be flexible, which is good practice for the school year.
Build a schedule that includes time to rest and relax:
I encourage you to read The 7 Types of Rest Every Person Needs. This article provides you with ideas on creating more time in your schedule for rest and different ways to give your body rest. Again, practicing these skills in the summer can carry into the school year. If you do not think there is time during the school year to try new concepts such as meditation, the summer is the perfect time to try something new. I have been using HeadSpace off and on for the past 3 years. I still have room to grow with respect to meditation, but thankfully HeadSpace makes it easy to try, and it is also free for educators!
Create a Wellness Routine:
If you are already building in time for meditation via HeadSpace, as noted above, you should now look for opportunities to add in physical exercise. This varies for every individual, from running to walking to biking to cycling to yoga, and so on. Pick something that works for you. There is endless research on the benefits of physical activity for your mental and physical wellbeing. Use the additional time you have in the summer to start a routine that you can hopefully carry into the school year in September.
Reflect:
I spend time every morning reflecting on my professional and personal life. On Saturday, I complete a weekly reflection, and on the first week of a new month, I complete a reflection on the previous month. When the school year ends, I go back and review my weekly and monthly reflections to determine how the year went. Specifically, I want to see where I was successful and how I can build on that as well as the areas I need to improve. It takes time to reflect and to do so effectively. I highly encourage you to consider putting aside time to do so. This also helps provide me with closure on the previous year and gives me something to look forward to for the upcoming year.
- Why you should make time for self-reflection
- The benefits of writing a weekly review
- How to Conduct an Annual Review
Read/Listen/Watch:
After setting my goals for the summer and completing my yearly reflection, it is time to grow. I dig into my reading list by scheduling time in the morning and in the evening to read. (7 Book Recommendations for 2022) I find podcasts to spend time listening to while working in the yard or driving to school. I also find time for TedTalks that I missed out on during the year. Make sure that some of this time is spent on topics for fun and enjoyment and not just work-related. This new information both recharges and refocuses me for the year ahead.
Share:
One of the best gifts in life is the ability to share with others. There are so many ways to share information, lessons learned, and ideas with others. Set aside time to share on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Be intentional when you go to social media to share; otherwise, you can get bogged down in mindless scrolling through feeds, which is not helpful! When we reach out to friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers, to share information we learned, it creates a ripple effect that has no end. We should constantly seek ways to share knowledge gained as it is one of the best ways to pay it forward.
Practice being present:
Practicing this in the summer makes me better at it during the school year when I am balancing family time and work time. If you are at work planning for the year ahead, be present and focus on the task. If you are at the beach with your family, soak in the sun and surf. School leaders work hard all the time and rarely allow themselves time to step back and appreciate important moments. If you are thinking about teacher schedules while you are at the pool, you are missing out on the fun with your kids! It is exhausting when we try to multi-task on vacation between work and family time. We waste time worrying about who is getting our attention, and no one benefits. We return more tired than when we left for vacation! Focus on the task at hand each and every day and give attention where it is needed.
Find a routine or develop a plan that works for you and put it into action!
