The Holidays Are Here – Seven Strategies to Secure Your Wellbeing

Reaching the holidays in one piece can often feel like a major achievement for those in demanding school leadership roles. I know. I’ve been there.

I’d highly recommend investing in a few moments to focus upon your own wellbeing. This will allow you to enjoy the break you deserve and return to school refreshed and ready to be the leader you know you can be once again.

Here are seven strategies to consider within your own context:

1. Put Yourself First When Making Plans… and Don’t Feel Guilty

Many of us know the analogy of the oxygen mask in aircraft emergencies (put yours on first or you’re no use to others) and it makes absolute sense. This is especially important when you have more time available to spend with your loved ones. You’ll be much better to be around if you’re feeling positive and energised.

2. Protect Your Time

Turn off any email alerts on your phone. If something significant crops up, people will know how to reach you. School leaders often want to complete a few work tasks over holiday periods, but be disciplined in how you manage this. Prioritise social events and hobbies, and plan discreet ‘work time’ around them. Have blocks of time set aside to use for school work when the weather is poor or the family are involved in other things that you’re not part of. Try to keep work blocks to an absolute minimum or it defeats the object!

3. Get Rid of Your ‘To Do List’ and Create a ‘Priority List’

I read this tip in a book (though I can’t remember which one) many years ago as a new headteacher. The aim is to reduce the pressure you feel when you have (inevitably) not ticked off everything on your ‘to do’ list on the last day of term. A priority list allows you to recognise that you’ve completed the priority items you’d identified. Those not completed can be addressed after your holiday.

4. Be Kind to Yourself

We may have to be comfortable with the fact that some things may slip off the table every so often, even during a holiday. Voltaire argued that ‘perfect is the enemy of good’, so try to consider what’s fair and reasonable to expect from leaders – i.e. you. I’ve since heard the phrase ‘Excellent is the enemy of great!’ used in the United States, so you may want to determine a standard that you’re genuinely comfortable with! Also, take time to recognise and reflect upon your achievements and celebrate these.

5. Try and Spend Some Time Outdoors

Ideally, this will be in a place with lots of fresh air and nature around you. There’s growing evidence that humans benefit immensely from reconnecting with the great outdoors, even for short periods of time. Combining this with exercise (at whatever level you’re comfortable with) is an added bonus. Involving family and/or friends can be a positive too… unless you need some time on your own to unwind and clear your mind!

6. Use the Holidays to Prioritise Quality Sleep

Ensure those around you know that you’re focusing upon this and support you in appropriate ways. Sleep is hugely important for human health but can often be disrupted when the intensity of a school week leaves you with a number of things to mull over afterwards. Enjoy the opportunity to turn off the alarm clock!

7. Rest, Don’t Just Relax

Try and think back to a time when you truly rested. This should be a time when you were not involved in anything other than restoring your energy levels, physically, cognitively and emotionally. Relaxing activities can be fun and rewarding but often require concentration and energy at a time when you need to conserve and build it. True rest is different. Aim to get yourself to a point where you’re comfortably bored… and stay there for a while. You deserve it!

Looking Ahead

Now think ahead to the last working day before the school holidays, when you will set your email ‘out-of-hours’ reply and turn off your computer. Are you going to consciously plan for your own wellbeing over the break?

The seven strategies outlined in this article should be ‘doable’ for most headteachers, but doing things for oneself often gets neglected. Will you make a personal commitment to prioritise your wellbeing this Christmas period? Whatever you do, have a great one!