How are you today?
Can I be honest? I am struggling. We are almost two weeks into this distance learning and the fatigue from going into this as a sprint instead of a marathon is causing me stress and distress. I am more tired, more anxious and certainly not as physically active as I was just a month ago.
Before the scale goes further up, or my emotional state goes down even more, I realized I needed to take control of the things I can: my mind and my time.
jessica cabeen
I went back into Danny Bauer’s work from our mastermind to recreate my Ideal week in these less than ideal times. When listening to day two of his online course-this was the reminder I needed to hear:
Put YOU on the calendar first, then your family, then work.
Daniel Bauer
Thriving in this season has caused me to recognize that I can only be my best self for others when I start taking control of my schedule-and start stepping away from this screen more regularly.
With that in mind, I first went through and identify what needs to go on the calendar first, and prioritized that time.
| 1st on the calendar | 2nd on the calendar | 3rd on the calendar | 4th on the calendar |
| Daily Activities for Me | Daily Activities with my family | Daily Tasks at Work | Strategic Tasks at Work |
| ReadingJournalingDevotionalWalkExcercise (cycle/run/yoga) *daily white space* | Eat lunch togetherPlay a game/watch movieGo for a walk with my spouse. | Zoom department meetingsGratitude Contactsemail/phone contacts. | Building skeleton of 2020-21 scheduleHiring for (2) CoachesVision for the kick-off to 2020-21 90-minute block of time no distraction. |
Or another way to look at this with the #BalanceLAP quadrants in mind looks like this:
| Jessica’s Weekly Schedule Planner | |
| Must-Do Daily | May Do Weekly |
| Schedule self-care (personal quadrant) Schedule family time (personal quadrant) Plan ‘office hours’ and time with students (positional quadrant) Schedule time in your day to grade/plan lessons (positional quadrant). | Research ways to connect with students and families online (professional) Take an online course yourself to experience the life of an online student (professional) Learn a new recipe or family game (personal). journal/blog or share resources with others on this journey (passions/professional). |
I redid my schedule three times, and realize I do better with a paper week planner than an electronic-so I have included both for you to use. While you need to put you and your family on the schedule first-recognize that you also have positional responsibilities that may already be set. Make sure you put department, team meetings and class time with your students on the schedule and then build around those times to included daily self-care and family responsibilities. I have teenagers so I made them a template that we will build Monday morning so they can map out their own schedule guidelines.
You measure what you monitor so in order to make sure I stay accountable to this schedule I have set personal and professional goals for the week. I utilize OKR’s from the book Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs
I texted my principal partner and administrative assistant to make sure they were okay on the color of their cells on the spreadsheet. Monday I will print this, post it on my home office wall and get to work.
As educators and leaders in the field we have an opportunity in these next few weeks to recalibrate our schedules and reinvent who we are as a person-not just defined by what we do as a professional. We can set big goals and create space in our calendars to dedicate time to research and implement actions that in the day to day of being in a school would have been hard. I have no radio static to chase after and I have an opportunity to prioritize leading vs managing now and in the next season.
While nothing is even remotely perfect in a pandemic, I can reclaim purpose to what I spend my time on while prioritizing myself and my family in this season.
Be well, reach out if you need anything.
Jessica
Additional Resources:
How to Build Your Ideal Week with Danny Bauer.
My Ideal Week Schedule and Templates.
OKRs: A school leader’s productivity secret weapon.
Balance LAP Quadrants Goals for the Week
| Boy’s Schedule Ideas | |
| Must-Do Daily | May Do Weekly |
| -Schoolwork (2-3 hours per day)-Weekly Chores-Physical Activity-Reading or Drawing-Bible Study (with grandpa or on your own)-Puppy Training time. | -Help sibling with work-Take a class on Khan Academy, Code.org or other passion projects.-Nature Trail hikes-Clean/organize spaces in room/house-Games/Social time with friends (via facetime, Skype, Zoom or phone call). |
| Week of March 30th my Objective and Key Results: Objective: Make daily meaningful ways to continue to connect and engage with students, staff, and families remotely. Key Results: Weekly newsletter-Staff and Family Good News Call home/Check-in on students I work with. Notes of Gratitude/Emails of Appreciation to at least 50% of the staff each week. Objective: Work to finalize staffing plan and building foundation of schedule for 2020-21 Key Results: Go over section numbers and sizes with HR and District Admin Build-in common planning time by grade level department/co-teaching first. Review lunch schedules. |
Principal in Balance: Learning to Lead in Work and Life 
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