Educational Leadership Redefined: Carving Out Time for Self-Growth

Being a school leader comes with a unique set of challenges. The ever-evolving landscape of education, with its myriad responsibilities, can often leave little room for personal growth and development. However, educational leaders must find a way to prioritize their growth amid the daily chaos of school life. When I was a Principal, the idea of sitting down during the school day to focus on myself felt selfish. I thought that since there were problems to be solved and people who needed me I had to be available. I prioritized the needs of others above my own. After working with my coach and making some changes, I understood that when I invested in my own growth and development,  the teachers, students, and the school community benefited. Everybody wins when the leader gets better.

I found an effective way to create an ideal work week that incorporated dedicated time for my growth. It was a much-needed shift in my leadership. I want to share a few ideas to help leaders begin crafting their ideal week, including time for growing their own capacity. 

Get Clear on Your Educational Goals

Before delving into the schedule, take a moment to reflect on your professional goals as a school leader. What skills or knowledge would you like to acquire or enhance? How can your personal growth benefit your school and its stakeholders? Understanding your goals will help you plan out your time more effectively.

Time Blocking for Educational Growth

There is a lot of information about the power of time blocking. In short, it is a powerful technique to help structure your schedule. Every week, leaders should dedicate specific blocks of time for various tasks, including your professional growth. For instance, when I implemented a new teacher evaluation tool,  I blocked out 2-3 hours a week to work on that tool. I also devoted 2-3 hours to learning effective ways to give teachers feedback, which supported this task. I used this time to read books, watch webinars, or review resources I had come across. Use time-blocking to work strategically on projects and to grow yourself.

Physical and Mental Well-being

Educational leadership can be demanding, and it's easy to neglect your physical and mental health. Prioritize regular exercise, healthy eating, meditation, or mindfulness activities. These routines should also be intentionally scheduled on your calendar. 

To help feel balanced, I need to be outside and feel the sun on my face. When I became a Principal, this did not change. So I made sure to include a 10-minute walk on my schedule. Sometimes I simply walked on the playground in circles and sometimes I walked the neighborhood. Regardless of the location, I knew this movement and practice created balance for me, so I prioritized it and put it on my calendar. Think about what you need physically and mentally and schedule it.

Delegation and Task Automation

School leaders often carry a heavy workload, but delegation and task automation can help ease the burden. Get to know the strengths of the members of your team. Once you do, empower and trust them to manage specific tasks independently, freeing up your time for professional growth activities. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) there are many tasks that leaders once spent hours doing that they can use AI to help save time. Rethink your newsletters, how you take notes during a meeting, and follow up reports/emails. Discover ways to maximize your effectiveness using automation.

Establish Clear Boundaries

Leaders must protect their time and set clear boundaries with their staff, colleagues, and stakeholders. Communicate your priorities and be clear when you're unavailable for meetings or non-urgent matters. Open door policy may sound like a great idea because it allows people to pop in, and you are more accessible to them. However, an open-door policy can erode your effectiveness if you are not careful. It’s impossible to gain traction on strategic tasks and your growth when you are interrupted repeatedly. Having a set time when you close the door to work and learn is imperative. There are systems you can put in place so that staff know what to do if an emergency comes up. This piece ties directly to the importance of delegation. 

Regularly Review and Adapt

Recognize that your ideal week may need adjustments as circumstances change and new opportunities arise. Flexibility is key to maintaining a balance between school leadership responsibilities and your own growth. Regularly review your schedule and make necessary adaptations to align with your evolving goals.

Creating an ideal week that includes dedicated time for development is not just about managing time effectively; it is about investing in our future effectiveness and growth as educational leaders. By reflecting on our goals, embracing time blocking, taking care of our well-being, delegating, setting boundaries, and consistently reviewing our schedules, you can cultivate a harmonious balance that allows you to excel as a school leader and as an individual. Remember, investing in ourselves ultimately benefits our school community and the students we serve in the long run.