This one goes out to all of our directors…
After a long week of ensuring your school is running well and putting out all the little fires that come up, it’s only natural to have a few defeating thoughts.
“I’m so done.”
“Maybe I should just leave.”
“What am I even doing here?”
If you’ve had these kinds of thoughts before, know that many of us have been there before. Being a preschool director is hard. It comes with a whole host of responsibilities, and the requirements of the role can quickly lead to burnout.
Just like your teachers diligently prepare lesson plans for the entire school year to ensure students are reaching their goals, it’s absolutely necessary for you to prepare for the hard moments that inevitably come up when you’re operating a successful preschool. Thankfully, there is a way for you to get ahead of it and bring the joy back to your job.
How You Make an Impact
As a leader in education, you have one of the most important — and demanding! — jobs. Every week, you contribute to the mental, physical, and emotional stability of your teachers, who in turn are impacting the children in their classroom, year after year. These precious children are observing, learning, and developing their own coping habits just by being in your school.
After all, the shadow of the leader is a very real phenomenon. Who you are, how you think, and how you respond to things sets the tone of your school. There’s a big correlation between mindset and school culture, and your school culture will take on your qualities, good and bad. It happens in every organization, large and small, and your school is no different. That’s why it’s so important to fight and stay ahead of the burnout! And when you train your brain to always maintain joy, even on the tough days, you’ll be able to lead your school to success.
Finding Joy on the Job
In your job, the stress comes from all over, and because you’re responsible for so much, there’s really no running away from it. You have to face it day after day. But how can you do it in such a way that breaks the stress cycle and allows you to remain joyful? Here are a few tips.
Change your mindset.
You have the power to change your feelings about your job and make it joyous, and it all starts with shifting your mindset. Trust us, we know — this one can be a doozy!
But the truth is that whatever we think, we believe. If you believe you’re not doing anything important and just being stressed out all the time, you’re probably not thinking about your work in a very positive fashion.
By shifting your mindset, you can put your attention on living a life of significance and making a difference. You can’t control everything, but you can control being intentional. If you go into each day with the goal of making a difference right where you are, day in and day out, you will. And knowing you’re making a difference can truly make a difference.
Remember your “why.”
You may not think about it in your day-to-day work as you’re running around, but you’re a leader and a world-changer. Your interactions, problem-solving skills, and tenderness during chaotic moments — they’re all things your team is soaking up! Your team is learning from you and impacting children as a result. When you think about it, you’re making a giant impact on the lives of others.
When trying to figure out your “why,” ask yourself:
- What’s my favorite part about leading a team?
- What lights me up?
- What parts of the job make time fly?
- What do you love to do, even when you aren’t getting paid?
These things are key factors in helping you figure out your “why” and then find ways to fulfill it every single day.
Know who you are.
The turnover rate in the early childhood education field is about 30%, and most directors stay in their roles only 3-4 years before they burn out and move into other positions. Regardless of how much you love teaching, leading, and running your school, it’s easy to experience burnout before you realize it’s happening.
You’re the leader, and that means your daily communication and decisions are the catalyst to a smooth day for all who enter the school: parents, students, teachers, vendors, and visitors. You have the power to stop that gossip train in its tracks and shift the mood and culture in your school. You’re essential in keeping everyone safe, and you’re the glue that holds everyone and everything in this business together. When you own it in a positive, personal, and professional way, you’ll notice a positive change in your school.
Do something that makes a difference.
Personal growth is certainly a sure fire way to stay ahead of burnout and keep that joy in your daily work. You may be facing struggles and don’t know where to start, but you have to start somewhere! Simply wishing and hoping for change doesn’t bring change in your life, and neither does dreaming of improvements or having visions of what an improved team or improved you will look like.
Change and transformation requires action. So to change and transform your school and yourself in the areas you want, you need to be aware of your thinking and your mindset. Then you must shift your thinking from what you want to taking steps. Break it down, and then do what is needed to reach those goals. Taking those steps toward reaching your goals is what brings change.
Of course, it may take some time to ultimately reach your goals, but what else would you have been doing during that time if not working toward something that matters? Little things can bring about big change, and baby steps are a great way to reach a greater goal.
Bring It Back!
Many people become burned out and lose their joy and energy in their work not because the work is too hard, but because they lose their “why.” They forget why they’re doing the work and what their impact will eventually be. Their attitude shifts and they’re no longer positive. If this sounds like your teachers, or feels like you, know that you can change everything right now!
Your leadership — and therefore your mindset — is the most important part of your school. As a leader, you have the opportunity to be transformational in the best possible way for your teachers, students, parents, and school. What are you doing with it?
At Impact Early Education, we know your work is never done. That’s why we provide valuable professional development courses for preschool teachers, directors, and owners in a way that works for you. To learn more, explore our courses or contact us today!
This one goes out to all of our directors…
After a long week of ensuring your school is running well and putting out all the little fires that come up, it’s only natural to have a few defeating thoughts.
“I’m so done.”
“Maybe I should just leave.”
“What am I even doing here?”
If you’ve had these kinds of thoughts before, know that many of us have been there before. Being a preschool director is hard. It comes with a whole host of responsibilities, and the requirements of the role can quickly lead to burnout.
Just like your teachers diligently prepare lesson plans for the entire school year to ensure students are reaching their goals, it’s absolutely necessary for you to prepare for the hard moments that inevitably come up when you’re operating a successful preschool. Thankfully, there is a way for you to get ahead of it and bring the joy back to your job.
How You Make an Impact
As a leader in education, you have one of the most important — and demanding! — jobs. Every week, you contribute to the mental, physical, and emotional stability of your teachers, who in turn are impacting the children in their classroom, year after year. These precious children are observing, learning, and developing their own coping habits just by being in your school.
After all, the shadow of the leader is a very real phenomenon. Who you are, how you think, and how you respond to things sets the tone of your school. There’s a big correlation between mindset and school culture, and your school culture will take on your qualities, good and bad. It happens in every organization, large and small, and your school is no different. That’s why it’s so important to fight and stay ahead of the burnout! And when you train your brain to always maintain joy, even on the tough days, you’ll be able to lead your school to success.
Finding Joy on the Job
In your job, the stress comes from all over, and because you’re responsible for so much, there’s really no running away from it. You have to face it day after day. But how can you do it in such a way that breaks the stress cycle and allows you to remain joyful? Here are a few tips.
Change your mindset.
You have the power to change your feelings about your job and make it joyous, and it all starts with shifting your mindset. Trust us, we know — this one can be a doozy!
But the truth is that whatever we think, we believe. If you believe you’re not doing anything important and just being stressed out all the time, you’re probably not thinking about your work in a very positive fashion.
By shifting your mindset, you can put your attention on living a life of significance and making a difference. You can’t control everything, but you can control being intentional. If you go into each day with the goal of making a difference right where you are, day in and day out, you will. And knowing you’re making a difference can truly make a difference.
Remember your “why.”
You may not think about it in your day-to-day work as you’re running around, but you’re a leader and a world-changer. Your interactions, problem-solving skills, and tenderness during chaotic moments — they’re all things your team is soaking up! Your team is learning from you and impacting children as a result. When you think about it, you’re making a giant impact on the lives of others.
When trying to figure out your “why,” ask yourself:
- What’s my favorite part about leading a team?
- What lights me up?
- What parts of the job make time fly?
- What do you love to do, even when you aren’t getting paid?
These things are key factors in helping you figure out your “why” and then find ways to fulfill it every single day.
Know who you are.
The turnover rate in the early childhood education field is about 30%, and most directors stay in their roles only 3-4 years before they burn out and move into other positions. Regardless of how much you love teaching, leading, and running your school, it’s easy to experience burnout before you realize it’s happening.
You’re the leader, and that means your daily communication and decisions are the catalyst to a smooth day for all who enter the school: parents, students, teachers, vendors, and visitors. You have the power to stop that gossip train in its tracks and shift the mood and culture in your school. You’re essential in keeping everyone safe, and you’re the glue that holds everyone and everything in this business together. When you own it in a positive, personal, and professional way, you’ll notice a positive change in your school.
Do something that makes a difference.
Personal growth is certainly a sure fire way to stay ahead of burnout and keep that joy in your daily work. You may be facing struggles and don’t know where to start, but you have to start somewhere! Simply wishing and hoping for change doesn’t bring change in your life, and neither does dreaming of improvements or having visions of what an improved team or improved you will look like.
Change and transformation requires action. So to change and transform your school and yourself in the areas you want, you need to be aware of your thinking and your mindset. Then you must shift your thinking from what you want to taking steps. Break it down, and then do what is needed to reach those goals. Taking those steps toward reaching your goals is what brings change.
Of course, it may take some time to ultimately reach your goals, but what else would you have been doing during that time if not working toward something that matters? Little things can bring about big change, and baby steps are a great way to reach a greater goal.
Bring It Back!
Many people become burned out and lose their joy and energy in their work not because the work is too hard, but because they lose their “why.” They forget why they’re doing the work and what their impact will eventually be. Their attitude shifts and they’re no longer positive. If this sounds like your teachers, or feels like you, know that you can change everything right now!
Your leadership — and therefore your mindset — is the most important part of your school. As a leader, you have the opportunity to be transformational in the best possible way for your teachers, students, parents, and school. What are you doing with it?
At Impact Early Education, we know your work is never done. That’s why we provide valuable professional development courses for preschool teachers, directors, and owners in a way that works for you. To learn more, explore our courses or contact us today!
