Remember when summer breaks actually meant taking a break? Last August, fresh from my superintendent role, I found myself doing what many of us in education do - filling every moment with work. By Thanksgiving, my calendar looked like a typical principal's schedule during testing season. As I shared with you previously, I needed a plan to set the course for 2025.
Today, I want to share how the Life Energy Action Planning (LEAP) framework has helped me set professional goals and prioritize my actions. While I am retired, and my daily activities look different, the common element still holds true: leading drains us of our energy, and finding ways to generate more energy than we consume is essential for sustainable leadership.
Think about it - as educational leaders, you are constantly pouring energy into supporting teachers and staff, engaging with students and families, and solving complex problems. Without intentional energy management, you risk depleting yourselves.
That's where LEAP has been eye-opening for me. It's shown me that professional energy isn't just about working harder or longer - it's about balance and understanding how our various life dimensions interact to either drain or boost our energy levels. For example, when I first retired, I thought being available 24/7 for consulting work made me more valuable. However, using LEAP's satisfaction calculations, I discovered this approach was actually draining my energy faster than I could replenish it.
Now, I've learned to create boundaries that protect my energy while allowing me to make meaningful educational contributions. This balance isn't just good for us - it's essential for those we serve. After all, how can we guide others if our own energy tank is running on empty?
As educational leaders, you are masters at giving energy to others - your teachers, students, and communities. But how often do you think about generating energy for yourselves? Let me be honest about my journey. As a superintendent, I brought my superintendent habits with me - back-to-back meetings, constant accessibility, and that familiar feeling of never being "done."
Using LEAP's calculation method, I discovered I spent 60 hours weekly on work with only 50% satisfaction. Does any of this sound familiar? Here's what shifted in my approach:
Restructuring Leadership Time
As a superintendent, I thought being available 24/7 made me a better leader. Unfortunately, that did not make me the most effective because weariness would set in. Now, I structure my day differently:
Sacred morning hours for strategic thinking and writing
Focused afternoon blocks for coaching and collaboration
Built-in reflection time between meetings
This change lifted my satisfaction to 75% while reducing my work hours. Imagine what this could mean for your school leadership team.
Creating Spaces That Support Leadership
My home office transformation taught me something crucial about educational spaces. I now have:
A collaboration zone for virtual leadership meetings
A quiet space for deep work and planning
A movement area for walking calls with fellow educators
These intentional spaces help me shift between different modes throughout the day.
Building Educational Communities That Energize
Remember how energizing those breakthrough moments with your staff felt? I've recreated that energy by:
Hosting virtual roundtables with educational leaders
Creating walking meeting traditions with clients
Dedicating time to mentor emerging educational authors
The LEAP framework showed me something fascinating - our professional energy deeply affects other life dimensions. When I started taking mid-day breaks for exercise, my strategic thinking improved. When I set email boundaries (no emails after 6 PM), my family relationships strengthened.
Here's how LEAP's dimensions connect specifically to educational leadership:
Professional + Physical: Those walking meetings? They've led to better problem-solving conversations about school challenges.
Professional + Relationships: Clear boundaries (no weekend work emails) improved my connections with other leaders. They respected the structure, and our conversations became more focused.
Professional + Spiritual: Supporting educators in sharing their expertise through writing aligns perfectly with our field's mission of lifelong learning. Looking ahead to 2025, I'm focusing on:
Supporting more educators in sharing their expertise
Creating leadership development programs that honor work-life integration
Building Sustainable Practices for School Leaders
As educational leaders, you need to model balanced leadership for your teams. I'd love to hear how you're managing your professional energy. How are you balancing the demands of educational leadership with your well-being? How are you helping your teams find their balance?
In our following newsletter, we'll explore how the Relationships dimension of LEAP can transform your approach to building school communities.
Reflection Questions:
How has your approach to professional energy shifted since leaving traditional school leadership? What surprised you most about this transition?
When you think about your current work supporting educators, which activities fill your energy tank, and which ones drain it?
What boundaries have been the most challenging to maintain as an educational consultant, and how has this impacted your overall energy?
How do your current professional activities align with your deeper purpose in education?
What patterns do you notice in your energy levels throughout the week, and how do these compare to your time as a school leader?
Tasks:
Track your energy levels during three different types of activities this week. Note which ones energize you most.
Create two non-negotiable blocks in your calendar for deep work, treating them with the same importance as you once did in faculty meetings.
Design your ideal "energy-generating" workspace by removing one distraction and adding one inspiring element each day this week.
Write down three professional activities you'll say "no" to this month to protect your energy for higher-impact work.
Schedule one walking meeting with a fellow educational leader to discuss their energy management strategies.
Edupreneurs Network
Don’t forget to visit our other newsletter, The Edupreneurs’ Network. This week’s topic is on initiating your edupreneurial journey.
The Pulse
Webinar: Budgeting for School-Based Mental Health
Join Opportunity Labs Monday, February 24th from 3:00pm-4:00pm EST to discuss new resources designed to help district administrators—especially directors of student services or the equivalent—adopt a data-driven, values-based approach that enhances and sustains school-based mental health services with Dr. Sharon Hoover, Co-Director of the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland; Dr. Jessica Swanson, Independent Consultant and former Deputy Chief, Finance at DC Public School and Edunomics Senior Fellow at Georgetown University; and, Victoria Bustos, Executive Director, Student Support Services at San Antonio Independent School District. REGISTER HERE.