Is there anyone out there who doesn’t feel tired – mentally and physically – most of the time? It seems we are all in a state of chronic exhaustion. It may have started with the pandemic, but since, it seems to be unending. And yet being tired is no more of a useable excuse than not having time. The subtitle of my book Leading for School Librarians is: There Is No Other Option. This means tired or busy – we must be leaders.

As pressures on school librarians increase, so does the amount of time required to do our jobs. Working while exhausted means it’s hard to give our best. Not to our students. Not to our teachers. And not to our family and ourselves.

We can’t afford to be in a state of perpetual fatigue, but how can we change that? Art Petty recognizes the challenge and presents seven ways for dealing with it in his blog post Leadership Fatigue Is a Thing –Make Time to Recharge. Here are his recommendations and my comments:

1. Center on Your Purpose as a Leader – Think of this as your personal Mission Statement. Why are you doing what you do? Perry asks you to think of how you want to be remembered at your retirement party. Create your personal Mission Statement (different from your professional one) and print it out to remind you of the value you bring. Mine is, “I reflect the greatness I see in others and, when appropriate, help them manifest it.”
2. Adjust Your Attitude Through Beginner’s Mind Thinking – Step back and look at what you are doing as though you were just starting on the job. Do you remember? That was a time when all was possible. One technique that can work is to walk into your library as though you had never been there before. What message is it sending? Is there anything that seems off? Does it reflect today or when your last organized it?
3. Treat the Workplace as a Living Laboratory and Start Experimenting – Having seen the library with fresh eyes, what one small thing can you change or add? Look for ways to elevate what’s there, even if you like what you see. If you think everything is fine as is, you will never work for something better. Focusing on doing something different gives a lift to your mindset.
4. Commit to Creating Value at Every Encounter – Ever have a quick encounter at the grocery story with someone in line that leaves you feeling a little more energized after? Maybe you gave or received a compliment. Maybe someone asked about a product you purchased. In addition, if you keep this in mind as you interact with others, you will be “seeing” them, which builds connections and makes your workload feel somehow less stressful.
5. Get Physical to Rejuvenate the Mind and Body – This one is my favorite. If you’ve read this blog for a while you know – daily walks keep me going in so many ways. Pick your favorite way to move — dance, yoga, weight training or whatever you enjoy. If you like it, you will do it. And doing it brings all kinds of benefits.
6. Reinvent Your Career Without Resigning – Instead of thinking a new job is the solution to the challenges you have, consider ways to improve or change what you are currently doing. Is there a new program you’ve been aching to launch? Is there a school activity you’d like to be a part of or a course you can teach? Or how about joining a state or national committee. Finding something new to look forward to has amazing regenerative properties.
7. Do Something Completely Different – Petty took piano lessons. I know many librarians who quilt. I took a drawing course. Maybe it’s time to switch from being a reader to being a writer. Doing something solely and completely for you can be a freeing and energizing experience.

Will any of these magically give you energy? Probably not. Will you still be tired if you do all or most of these? Perhaps. But it won’t be that same draining fatigue that makes you feel you are on a planet with heavier gravity than Earth. Fatigued leaders are not serving themselves nor those that need them. Find things that give you a boost and keep you going.