The year’s almost over, and soon, it’ll be time to make New Year’s resolutions to get fit, get zen, and get a life outside of work.
Those goals can be hard to meet for principals, though. Most go to bed with a long mental checklist of things to do, or with concerns over funding, student safety, and teacher retention.
A school leader’s job gets more complex and stressful every year. They must manage both up and down, hit district-laid benchmarks, and ensure that their teachers and students thrive even as they’re pushed to do more. Principals also battle negative perceptions about public schools and the increasing influence of partisan politics in education.
It’s not surprising then that principals are at a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression when their work doesn’t end with the school day—they answer calls and emails at all hours and carry the emotional baggage of teachers and students who may be struggling. This kind of “work spillage” is a predictor of mental health issues in principals, research shows.
It’s important for both school leaders and those above them to recognize that good physical and mental health is essential if they want schools to be happy, productive, and safe spaces.
“There’s emotional baggage that comes from leading schools and working with children and teachers,” said Eleanor Su-Keene, an assistant professor of teaching, learning, and culture at Texas A&M University who co-authored a study about what causes principals stress and anxiety. Su-Keene spoke with Education Week about her research in October.
“Your teachers are not doing well. You don’t have the resources to support them. Kids come to school hungry. You are working with [child protective services] all the time,” she added. “That kind of emotional stuff also takes a toll.”
How principals can invest in their own mental and physical health
Su-Keene said principals need support to reduce their work stress. District leaders can reassess “phantom tasks”—duties without a clear purpose—so that principals can concentrate on leading instructional change or boosting student achievement.
If you’re a principal, here are some things that you can change about your day to get healthier, reduce stress, and avoid burnout.
- Don’t skip sleep. This is a real problem. Research shows that principals often wake up as much as 15 times in the night, opposed to an average of two to six times for most adults. To improve the quality of your sleep, create a consistent bedtime routine, stay off your phone, and indulge yourself by thinking about all the positive moments you had in your day.
- Phone a friend. Networks matter. In times of crises, these networks matter even more. Join a local principals’ group or association to build relationships with other leaders. These are safe spaces to vent, collaborate, and share war stories.
- Savor positivity. When you’re having fun at school, slow the moment down and savor it. When your students are putting on a play, or when a former student speaks fondly of their time in your school, store these positive memories to play in a highlights reel later.
- Delegate tasks. Better mental health is also a function of lightening the load on your shoulders. Chase Christensen, a former school leader from Wyoming, told Education Week, “You have to trust your team to accomplish the work. Distributed leadership helps to decrease the stress of the position while strengthening the school.”
- Learn to switch off. Create a buffer between work and home. Damon Lewis, a principal from Connecticut, turns off the radio on his drive home and sits in silence to reflect on his day, so work stays at work.
Doing some or all of these things already? Calculate your educator wellness score!
A version of this article first appeared in the Savvy Principal newsletter. Want more leadership insights? Sign up here.
