School & District Management

7 Ways to Reduce Principal Burnout

By Apoorvaa Mandar Bichu — July 26, 2022 4 min read
Image of dissatisfied, neutral, satisfied.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Principal turnover rates have been rising, with some surveys suggesting that as many as 4 in 10 principals expect to leave their profession in the next three years. But positive psychology techniques can help reduce principal burnout and potentially bring down turnover rates in the long run.

That’s according to Eleanor Su-Keene, a doctoral candidate in educational leadership at Florida Atlantic University, and David DeMatthews, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Historically, psychology has been focused around the ailments and the problematic issues with human mental health,” Su-Keene said. “But positive psychology is kind of refocusing on some of the elements of being human that are really powerful, [by] enhancing well-being and positivity.”

Through their research, Su-Keene and DeMatthews wanted to not just study burnout in school principals, but also provide evidence-based practices that could improve school leaders’ mental well-being.

“So [we’re] not just looking at how difficult and stressful the job could be, but what can we actually do to help principals,” said DeMatthews.

Their research provides individual and district-level recommendations to show how proven positive psychology strategies can be used to reduce job stress in school principals. Here are seven lessons drawn from their research article, which was published The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues, and Ideas:

1) ‘Savoring the moment’

Su-Keene and DeMatthews define savoring as “the psychological process of noticing and deepening the experience of positive emotions.”

Principals should recognize positive experiences like watching a school play set up by students or having a former student speak about the school’s positive impact, and try to be mindful of the positive feelings they experience during these moments.

By doing so, they can “deepen the experience by focusing and sharpening the physical sensations around that positive feeling,” such as smiling or laughing, according to the study.

2) Memory-building promotes positive feelings

When going through positive experiences, principals should slow the moment down in their mind and try to build a mental picture, the research suggests.

This way, they can savor the memory, both during the moment and over the long-term.

3) Savor moments in retrospect

One way principals can hold onto and enjoy memories in the long term is by journaling positive workplace experiences and reflecting on them.

DeMatthew’s prior research found that while principals do experience large amounts of stress at their job, they also experience moments of pride and joy in their work.

“We know in our work and in our research that principals are enjoying things about leadership on a daily basis,” Su-Keene said. “There are things happening inside classrooms, inside schools, with conversations with other teachers and students that are really meaningful.”

The research found that by recalling these memories, principals can further boost positive feelings they experience from their work.

4) “Cultivating sacred moments” can help

According to the article, “principals often find strength by turning inward toward their ‘why’ or purpose.”

By identifying certain moments in the school setting as sacred, in that they stand out as special and timeless, principals can find a sense of purpose in the work they do.

These moments can be incorporated as part of a routine (for example, focusing on the moment of welcoming students into school every morning), or symbolized with a sentimental keepsake like a gift or a drawing received from a student.

5) Districts can provide cognitive behavioral coaching
Cognitive behavioral coaches work with principals confidentially in a safe space and help them set small goals in working toward a healthy and positive sense of self.

“We encourage districts to have ... systems and people in place that can support principals on a coaching level,” Su-Keene said.

By providing this solutions-focused coaching, principals can “address stressors and feel confident in their strengths and efforts as they work towards their goals,” the research says.

6) Principal supervisors can be trained in positive psychology interventions

DeMatthews and Su-Keene’s research suggests that in districts that provide mental health resources to school staff, principal supervisors should be trained in positive psychology interventions or PPIs.

“We encourage the supervisors to be cognizant of the ailments and the problems and all of the really negative stuff that’s occurring for educators and principals right now,” Su-Keene said, so that they can provide school staff with much-needed mental health support.

These PPIs could include providing principals with training sessions on self care and managing job-related stress, as well as creating a broader mental health support network.

7) Provide spaces for principals to complain

Principals need to kvetch, too. One unusual suggestion the research puts forth is to create effective safe spaces for principals to voice their complaints.

“In the literature, complaining gets a really bad rep,” Su-Keene said. “But it has been shown to be an effective way of releasing some of that stress; being able to talk about complaints but not just in feeling negativity, but actually effectively addressing the base of those complaints.”

By hearing complaints, she said, districts can learn more about the problems principals face and figure out ways to address these issues.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
Substitute Teacher Staffing Simplified: 5 Strategies for Success
Struggling to find quality substitute teachers? Join our webinar to learn key strategies to keep your classrooms covered and students learning.
Content provided by Kelly Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI in Education: Empowering Educators to Tap into the Promise and Steer Clear of Peril
Explore the transformative potential of AI in education and learn how to harness its power to improve student outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
English Learners Webinar Family and Community Engagement: Best Practices for English Learners
Strengthening the bond between schools and families is key to the success of English learners. Learn how to enhance family engagement and support student achievement.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Spooked by Halloween, Some Schools Ban Costumes—But Not Without Pushback
Schools are tweaking Halloween traditions to make them more inclusive to all students.
4 min read
A group of elementary school kids sitting on a curb dressed in their Halloween costumes.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Schools Take a $3 Billion Hit From the Culture Wars. Here’s How It Breaks Down
Culturally divisive conflicts in schools have led to increased legal and security costs, as well as staff time spent on the fallout.
4 min read
Illustration of a businessman with his hands on his head while he watches dollars being sucked down into a dark hole.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Opinion The Blind Spot More Educators Need to Recognize
A simple activity in a training session caused a chain reaction that strengthened an educator's leadership for decades to come.
5 min read
Screen Shot 2024 10 29 at 9.19.10 AM
Canva
School & District Management Opinion 9 Ways Schools Can Improve Life for Teachers and Students
Educators suggest low-cost strategies to improve the education experience for teachers and learners alike.
8 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week