Tag Archives: Teacher Burnout

Five Life Changes for a First-Year Principal 

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First-Year Principal

Did you get the job? Yes! You did it! Congratulations, because you now have your first principal contract. You’re happy, your family is happy, and your checkbook is happier. The new position is everything you worked hard for, but life as you know it is about to change. The intent is not to scare you but to give an honest view. Here are a few life changes for a first-year principal.

Being a school principal is a noble job and comes with significant responsibilities. It comes with successes, but also comes with struggles. The first one or two years are the most difficult because you’re getting the lay of the land. The struggles vary for each person depending on their previous experience.

If your previous experience includes time as an assistant principal, you have a bird’s eye view of the leadership role. You may have leadership experience, but you’re coming from another district where things are done differently or policies are different. Or, you may be a first-year principal coming straight from a classroom environment. All journeys to the principal’s office are not the same. 

Personal and Professional Struggles

A first-year principal will experience both professional and personal changes. Early on, I recognized that the school principal’s job was lonely. I had many struggles, and you will, too. It’s normal to begin a new job, but the first few months may be bumpy. 

At times, you will question your decision to accept the job. As a first-year principal, I often asked myself two questions, “Why am I here?” and “What just happened?” You’ll question your leadership, decisions, skills, knowledge, and intuition. 

Other times, you will recognize how little time you have for your personal life. My social life was almost nonexistent during my first year in the role. Long hours at work and driving home in rush hour traffic exhausted me. Then, there were after-school and extracurricular activities that had to be attended by an administrator—some of the activities ended after 7:00 pm or 8:00 p.m. 

Twelve—or 13-hour days are not unusual. Many principals and assistant principals discuss their regret for missing their children’s events. First-year principals, the struggle between work and life balance is a huge life change. 

Physical and Emotional Wellness

Sleep is a fantasy

Another life change is you will never sleep like a baby again. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs at least seven hours of sleep each night. However, the average American gets 5.7 hours per night. 

With the stress of the principal role, a whole night of sleep is now a fantasy. The job is now in control of your mind. While everyone else snores in your house, your eyes are wide open. The projects, reports, meetings, emails, and other work-related stuff are on your mind.

 Ideas, plans, and changes run through your mind’s eye.  The clock keeps ticking: one o’clock, two o’clock, and three o’clock. Finally, you fall asleep, and the alarm goes off at six o’clock in the morning. The first-year principal runs on fumes.

Sleep is evasive for a first-year principal. Photo by Toa Heftiba on Upsplash.

The Freshman Fifteen

Another life change for a first-year principal is the “Freshman 15.” Just like in college, you gain weight during the freshman year. Well, get ready for 15 or more pounds around the middle. The stress of the job will take its toll on your eating habits and exercise routines. Unfortunately, school administrators rarely have time to sit down and eat lunch. Often, they scarf down their meals in five minutes or grab a bag of chips.  

Eating the wrong types of food, like unhealthy snacks, fast food, sugary drinks, and too much caffeine, causes your body to break down. When you visit the doctor, don’t be surprised that your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels are out of whack. Don’t get angry when nothing in your closet fits anymore.

Time Management is Your Friend

The third life change for the first-year principal is that your time is no longer your own. Kiss your personal life goodbye. Work starts early and ends late. Sometimes, work never ends for a first-year principal. You don’t know if you’re coming or going. Meetings and events happen before and after school. Eating breakfast or lunch is a luxury. You’re like the Walking Dead. Between no sleep and no time, life as you know it is over.

You must develop a schedule or routine. Otherwise, you will burn out fast. My school secretary was a godsend because she kept me on track, made meeting appointments, and updated the calendar. Each morning, she reminded me of any scheduled events or meetings. The school secretary is a vital person in your life and your first line of defense. 

You’re Always Putting Out Fires

The following life change is you are now a fireman. A first-year principal constantly puts out fires. Throw much of the theory you learned in your leadership courses. Yes, theory matters, but real life hits harder. There’s truth in the trenches. 

Now you’re responsible for a school building with hundreds of students, including staff members and much much more. Theory cannot prepare you for all the stuff that happens daily. Stuff happens all day long. Put on your comfortable shoes and gear. Handle the business and learn to delegate!

Principal Baruti Kafele’s book The Aspiring Principal 50: Critical Questions for Aspiring and New Leaders is a great one to read.

Delegate and Build Relationships

Delegating tasks is essential; however, building relationships is a priority. You will face organizational challenges during your first year as principal and need help tackling everything. Build relationships and trust among staff members so they feel included in the decision-making process. 

Building relationships means getting to know your staff professionally and personally. Learn their skill levels, passions, and what makes them tick. Next, learn to delegate based on what you’ve learned. Keep communication lines open so they feel comfortable discussing their ideas, suggestions, and concerns. Also, share your goals with the staff and be explicit. Remember, you are all in this together.

The Buck Stops with You

One more life change for a first-year principal is that your name is called more than you ever wanted to hear. “Please stop calling my name” is a statement you want to shout to the rooftops. Everyone wants to speak to you about something: the kids, parents, teachers, janitors, school engineers, community members, etc. Your calling card is always full.

Life would be easier if you went to your office and closed the door for peace. However, you can’t hide! Some will even follow you into the bathroom while you do the pee-pee dance. Life as you knew it is over.

Conclusion

Despite the life changes for a first-year principal, it’s an opportunity to learn and change lives. The year is filled with emotions as you acclimate to your new responsibilities. Be sure to take one day at a time. Learning is not an event. It is a process. Your first year as a principal is part of your learning process. It will be overwhelming, and sometimes you may want to quit. Therefore, set goals, adjust as necessary, and stay the course. 

Don’t be discouraged because of the many mistakes you are about to make. Find a mentor! Furthermore, many experienced principals can tell stories of their pitfalls, bad decisions, and more. However, they learned from the errors and kept going. As a first-year principal, don’t be afraid to reach out to the ones that came before you. Congratulations on your new gig!

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Educators, How Well are You?

Educators struggle with fatigue, stress, and burnout. They push through and fake it until they make it. When someone asks you, “How are you?” Do you respond with, “I am well?” That’s a standard response, but how well are you? Before you answer that question, learn more about the eight dimensions of wellness.

Definition of Wellness

First, let’s discuss the definition of wellness. According to the National Wellness Institute, “Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of and make choices toward a more successful existence.”  So, educators, as you discover the eight dimensions of wellness, self-reflect on your processes and choices to ensure your wellness is a priority. 

Eight Dimensions of Wellness

  1. Physical wellness is all about your body. Physical wellness depends on eating healthy food, getting enough sleep, and exercising.
  1. Emotional wellness is about your feelings, attitude about life, and having support systems to get you through personal or professional challenges. Your mind is a terrible thing to neglect.
  1. Intellectual wellness is about your brain and learning new knowledge. Many people don’t realize that intellectual wellness is also a priority. Educators use their intellectual power throughout a school day. Therefore, you need a healthy brain to make crucial decisions and shifts daily. Also, using your intellectual power requires learning new skills, teaching strategies, or the latest research.
  1. Social wellness means having positive and supportive relationships in your life. These relationships can be part of a robust professional and personal support system. 
  1. Spiritual wellness focuses on your soul, inner self, and faith. Whether one is religious or not, we all have a spiritual side. Also, spiritual wellness can include meditation to renew ourselves and have inner peace. 
  1. Environmental wellness is about our living conditions on Earth. Living and working conditions affect our health. We want to live free of harmful chemicals and toxins at home or work. 
  1. Occupational wellness refers to our career, job, and workplace. Are you happy about your professional path? Is your workplace physically, emotionally, socially, or environmentally healthy?
  2. Financial Wellness – If the money is funny, your financial health can harm your overall wellness. Worrying about money, savings, or bills is a health hazard. Financial wellness eases many burdens.
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How well are you? Your wellness is your responsibility.

Focus on Your Wellness

How will you answer the question, “How well are you?” Use these eight principles of wellness to reflect and then respond.  As you focus on your wellness, remember these seven principles:

  • Wellness is holistic
  • The self is the only true healer
  • Wellness is your responsibility
  • Positivity is empowerment. Negativity strips you of power and control.
  • Wellness is an active process. Don’t wait for good health to come to you!
  • Wellness is outcome-oriented
  • Prevention eliminates the need for treatment. 

Wellness is a Personal Responsibility

Making changes to focus on your wellness requires setting firm foundations. The first foundation is hope. Believe you can, and then set goals. Wellness is a personal responsibility, so take action toward your goals. It would help if you had support on your journey.

Lean on others for encouragement. Advocate for yourself by communicating your needs. Get good information, then make decisions. Lastly, find meaning and purpose in your life. Identify what matters most to you.

Conclusion

Educators take control of your wellness. Many say they are tired of hearing the term self-care; however, we cannot depend on school districts to provide needed support. So, we must understand our responsibilities when it comes to our well-being. Remember, wellness is an active process. Don’t wait for good health to come to you!

Rate Your Wellness

Download and complete the Wellness Wheel of Life. Rate each dimension of wellness and create a plan to make improvements.

Wheel-of-life-postcard-ttt4u 
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Are You Married to the Job? 

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I Said, I Do

Becoming a school principal was a big goal of mine. In 2009 I was handed the keys to the building. Finally, I said I do! Excited and full of ideas, I accepted the job and said my wedding vows to my new spouse. My job became my new husband. What no one told me was that the vows meant sickness and health and possibly close to death! Becoming a principal means being married to a job that doesn’t come with much reciprocity. Are you married to the job?

I guess that I shouldn’t say the job doesn’t come with much reciprocity. The majority of educators don’t do the job for the money. We do it for the students, families, or communities. Many of us enjoy working with our colleagues and collaborating with our peers. These are all reciprocal relationships. However, sometimes it feels as if it is a thankless job.

Burnout in the Educational Field

You all know that burnout is at an all-time high in the educational field. The statistics are everywhere, so I won’t display any data in this post. The information is accessible to Google if you want to dig deeper. You also know that teaching and leading during a pandemic is extremely difficult and has presented many deficiencies and inequities in our educational systems. Many educators press onward and don’t think of their physical and mental health despite all of these things. You take your marriage vows to your job seriously and forget to think about your health.

Stroke Mode

I am going to be vulnerable and tell you a story about my health. During my final year as a principal, I nearly had a stroke. The stress of the job was literally killing me. First, let me say that God watched over me with His grace. One morning I awoke with the worst headache of my life. I popped a couple of ibuprofen while talking to a friend and colleague. I told her about my headache, and she encouraged me to go to the emergency room. Despite her encouragement, I decided to drive to work. During my drive, I felt horrible and my vision blurred, and my thoughts were jumbled. Determined to not miss work and all of the things on my to-do list, I continued driving. 

Walking in the pharmacy, I was very nervous. My friend called me about five or six times on my cell phone. She pleaded with me to at least stop and got my blood pressure taken at the nearest Walgreens. I kept saying and in my mind that I was okay; however, I did stop in the pharmacy for a blood pressure check. What I didn’t know yet was that I was in stroke mode.

A Wake-Up Call

The pharmacist took my blood pressure, and it was 199/120. She said, “Oh my God! Let me take your pressure on the left arm!” The blood pressure reading was 195/118. The pharmacist asked me if I wanted to go to the ER. I said no, I would go to work, close my office door, and relax for a few minutes. Maybe, the numbers will go down.  I was married to the job, and it was about to kill me. Looking back on the event, I was not being very smart. How many times have you chosen your career over your health?

Needless to say, I was not using my common sense and nearly paid for it with my health and life. I did go to work that day, but my assistant principal and building engineer made sure that I saw a doctor. Also, that day my physician told me to choose to keep living or let the job kill me. It was a wake-up call. Being married to the job was not a great option anymore. It was time for a legal separation or divorce.

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Warning Signs

Educators, we think we are invincible even when the body and mind say something differently. Frequently, our bodies give us warning signs like headaches, stomach issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, eye twitches, and more. Many educators go to work when ill or mentally drained because the kids need us. Your body needs you to slow down and get healthy. Every teacher, principal, and all school personnel is replaceable with another warm body. You don’t want to be a cold body that is six feet under. Are you married to the job instead of your health and wellness?

When you feel ill or stressed, it’s okay to take a day off.

Thinking back to the warning signs I received during my tenure as principal, I have a list of things. The first year of marriage to the job, I broke out in hives all over my body. This happened the day before standardized test scores were to be announced. I was so nervous and anxious about whether or not scores and the school ranking dropped. When I reflect on the district’s pressure on school administrators about test scores, I still want to throw up! 

Ignoring the Symptoms

Next, I gained over 20 pounds because I did not eat healthy meals. The stress was so intense that sipping a glass of red wine was a way to self-medicate. At one point, my significant other asked if I had a drinking problem. I said no, but it made me pause. My blood pressure and cholesterol increased to the point where medication was prescribed. 

Sleepless nights became a regular thing because I could not turn off my mind about what the students and schools needed. There were many threats of losing the job because the test scores weren’t increasing fast enough, or I wasn’t disciplining or pushing out enough seasoned teachers. Lastly, the emotional abuse from the politics and district administrators was overwhelming. It was relentless and caused lasting damage to my health. 

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Take Care of Yourself

Can you resonate with any of my examples? Count the times you have experienced signs of illness, and you ignored it. How often have you gone to work sick with the flu, a cold, or pneumonia? You are probably married to the job in sickness and health. Can you deny that you are married to the job? 

Look, I am not telling you to divorce your job. However, if the weight of the job is slowly destroying your health, it is time to find balance. Every year educators contemplate leaving the profession. That’s okay because you have to do what is best for you. Whether you are a teacher or school administrator, the most critical priority is to take care of yourself.

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