Are You Taking Care of Yourself?

By Mark Palmer
MASSP President

WE ARE HALF WAY THROUGH, ARE YOU TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF?

Once again, it’s February, half way through the school year and it seems like the year just began.  This year has been especially trying and stressful for all administrators.  Thanks to declining budgets, I’m sure we have all had added stress, sleepless nights and maybe some anxiety over where we will be a year from now or even a week from now!  For me, I continually ask myself, “What’s next?”  It seems these days there always is a “next”.  These are the times when we have to be mindful of taking care of ourselves.

We are in the business of taking care of everyone else.  It’s in our nature; it’s why we became educators.  Often we take care of others at the expense of ourselves.  We must remember to consciously take care of us.  We are no good to others if we are not in good health.  As you plan your week, follow Buddha’s advice and plan time to take care of yourself physically and mentally.  If this isn’t in your schedule, it usually doesn’t get done.  Even if it’s only going for a short walk, plan it and do it. A short walk does wonders for the mind!

This is also a good time of the year to remember to take care of each other.  It’s the time of the year when we could use a good pick-me-up from each other.  Not many people really know what we as principals have to deal with on a daily basis nor do they understand.  We need to lean on each other.

I’m going to make it my goal to make at least one call a week to a fellow administrator just to say, “Hey how are you doing?”  (Of course you can ask if he/she has seen the latest on the MASSP website!)  We all need it, and we all need to know we are not alone! 

So, here is my challenge to you, call or at least one principal a week just to see how he/she is doing.  Let’s help to take care of each other.  In many ways we are a team spread across the State and teammates take care of each other!