Six Week Sprint #6: You Made It--Meet the Moment, September 4, 2022

​The school year is underway–and you made it! This is a moment to look back and take pride in all the things you did to care for your colleagues and the students in your school. There’s no such thing as a slow ramp-up to the start of the school year. Instead, we start with a burst of speed and adrenaline, and then find a sustainable pace. Here are three tips to make sure you’re ready for the road ahead.

Tip 1:  Keep meeting your basic needs. Six weeks ago, we talked about the preconditions for doing your best work:  rest, food, and relationships. As the year continues, make the effort to notice if you drop below the baselines for these key wellness indicators–and if that happens, make it a priority to restore your reserves.

Tip 2:  Set boundaries. Every Academic Leader has a place where the boundaries between school and home blur. For some, it’s checking email on mobile devices; for others, it’s watching the end of your work day creep later as the year continues. Set your boundaries now, and commit to holding them when you’re not dealing with a crisis. (As an Academic Leader, you know there will be moments when those boundaries will be breached, and that’s okay.) 

Tip 3:  Choose play. Take a look at your leisure time–the time you’re not at work or taking care of the tasks that keep your life at home running smoothly. Relaxation often takes the form of passive consumption:  watching, reading, listening. Play is a little different; it uses active engagement, undefined outcomes, and creativity. Even small doses of play (Wordle, anyone?) can boost energy and reduce stress.

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Be sure to check out the rest of the Six-Week Sprint series: 

• ​Six-Week Sprint # 1:  Fill Your Bucket
• Six-Week Sprint #2:  See and Be Seen
  
• Six-Week Sprint #3:  Prevent Emotional Overdrafts
  
• Six-Week Sprint #4:  Reinforce New Relationships
  
• Six-Week Sprint #5:  Plan for Growth