Sustaining Excellence During Crisis and Fatigue
It is a new year and everyone has the opportunity to start fresh. Many people have already set goals, made resolutions, mended relationships, and embarked upon some mindset landscaping—or at least, thinking about doing so. But what does that mean for educators? For them, yes, it is a new year, but it is also the same year… the same school year. Teachers and school leaders are returning to buildings, or computers, facing many of the daunting realities presented in 2021 that are likely to persist in 2022. How can educators start a new year full of optimism, and even more so, how can they strive for and sustain excellence for themselves and scholars if they are acutely aware of the heavy loads they will carry for the next five or six months?
The answer to this question is still being determined. Navigating these uncharted waters, experts in the field have no prior experience to pull from. There is not a handbook or case study for educators to draw upon that will provide the tried and tested answers on how to triumph over this crisis and the fatigue we are all facing. However, there is one thing that has remained constant amidst the swarm of change and challenge: the show must go on.
Though there may not be any definitive answers for how to fill our hearts with optimism or resolve the issues we face, we can begin to implement strategies that will aid our efforts in showing up as our best selves. The three strategies we unpack below are intended to help educators sustain their excellence. In other words, there are three things we recommend doing consistently that will provide clarity, balance, and focus.
BUILD OUT YOUR SYSTEMS OF ROUTINES AND PROCESSES
Do you brush your teeth every morning when you wake up? Or do you first contemplate if you have time to do so? We won’t speak for everyone, but for most people the answer would be, “I definitely brush my teeth first without even thinking about it.” This is called a routine. Routines are things that happen during your day, everyday without the need for any additional thought or planning. Routines create structure, and structure reduces stress. Routines also help maximize our efficiency and productivity.
Now, another question. When you brush your teeth, do you think about which hand to use or where the toothpaste goes on the brush, or whether to floss before or after brushing? In other words, do you have to think about how to brush your teeth? No. This is a process that you are very familiar with. Why? Because you learned how to do this task at a very young age and practiced everyday until it became a rote activity.
One more question, and we promise this is the last one. Could you imagine how taxing and time consuming the first hour of your day would be if you spent time thinking about brushing your teeth? The answer to that question should make you think about all of the hours of your day. Time and effort are very expensive costs to pay for things that should be free of charge. Building your systems of routines and processes for activities that you will have to do everyday, sometimes multiple times a day, will free up the time and effort you could spend on more important tasks that require intentionality and labor.
Adhering to a daily routine might make some people quiver at the idea, while others might find solace in knowing their next move at all times. We would be remiss if we did not say that having a system of routines and processes could provide even the freest of spirits with a sense of control and balance —especially during these unprecedented times of confusion, stress, and change.
The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have undoubtedly changed the way educators and students show up for school. This crisis has changed the way educators do almost everything and has made many of us reconsider the profession altogether. Imagine reinviting some consistency and balance back into your life by controlling the things that you can.
Consider creating systems for:
Checking and responding to emails (organizing folders, labeling items, setting reminders)
Communicating with stakeholders (leveraging automation platforms, creating message templates, sticking to a particular day of the week)
Preparing materials (making copies for the week on a certain day, using plug-n-play templates, establishing a distribution/collection protocol)
PRIORITIZE YOUR TASKS
Speaking of tasks. We all have found ourselves walking around the school building with five post-it notes full of reminders and things to do. I, myself, actually avoid post-it notes at all costs, but I am guilty of flooding my planner with an ever-growing to-do list. At the end of the day though, when I sit and look at the three of sixteen things I crossed off of my list, there is a sense accomplishment. This is because those three things were actually my priorities. They were the things I knew needed to get done before I called it quits for the day.
Many of you may be thinking, “well, how do I determine which three things are my priorities if I have sixteen things on the list?” We once pondered the same question until we stumbled upon a really helpful strategy to help us identify our most important and urgent tasks. We learned to take some time to assess each of our tasks in order of importance and also in order of urgency. Ask yourself, which of these things have to get done because it’s critical to my success or the success of others? Then ask yourself, which of these things have to be done within a relatively narrow window of time? Those items on your list with the combined highest level of importance and urgency are your priorities.
But don’t stop there. There’s two more things to consider. First, zoom into your list of priorities. You may have five or six that made the cut for high importance and high urgency. But, let’s be honest. We are educators. How likely is it that we will be able to cross off five or six important and urgent tasks in one day? Choose two or three priorities to accomplish each day. After all, Jim Collins tells us that going from good to great requires us to make strong to-do lists and if you have more than three priorities, you don’t have any.” The second thing to consider is when you will tackle those lists. Take time to pencil those into your planner or calendar at a specific time. Make it bright and sticky, and hold this time sacred so that these things are sure to get done.
CULTIVATE A CULTURE OF TEAMWORK
Let us collectively acknowledge that no single person can create a school and learning environment where all students and staff can thrive. It takes a village and a strong team. One of the main reasons why educators burn out quickly is because they often find themselves working in silos and carrying the load of others. Adding extra [low-leverage] responsibilities or starving teachers from mentorship and collaboration can send even the most dedicated teachers running to the nearest exit door. So, how do we combat this?
Teamwork and partnership. Create opportunities for educators to come together and divide work and responsibilities in a way that is equitable and sustainable. If there are other tasks and roles to fill—i.e. tutoring, making phone calls, planning an event, etc., consider bringing in volunteers or partnering with community resources or finally get that PTA up and running. Consider rolling out a mentoring program for new or struggling teachers. This could potentially build strong relationships, generate new ideas, solve problems, and most importantly, serve as the secret ingredient for cultivating a culture of teamwork where everyone plays a role in driving towards the mission.
Interested in acquiring more strategies and resources to sustain your excellence? Join our workshop by clicking below.