Posted on by hildaweisburg

Time to Nap

As a little kid, you probably fought against taking a nap. As a grownup, you might crave a one, but you have no time for it. You have too much work to do. But in reality, it’s more than a craving. You do need a nap, not only the break from work, but the time to quiet or focus your thoughts. Beyond the obvious self-care, taking some down time will give you the energy you need to be more productive.

Admitting we’re tired is common —it’s practically a badge of honor—but being willing to do something about it is less so. In her blog article, If You’re a Creative, Why It’s Probably Time for a Nap, Kristin Hendrix admits to how much she loves and uses naps and says says, “it might look like a nap isn’t working. But if it brings more clarity, energy, and creativity to the workday (aka increases productivity), I’d argue differently.”

If you work from home, scheduling a time to rest is possible. What about those of us who need to be at school? If you have an office, consider thirty minutes with the door closed. You don’t have to sleep, but if you turn off your computer and your lights, set an alarm, and give yourself the quiet, you might be amazed by how refreshed you are after – and how much more alert you for the remainder of the day. If you’re worried about falling asleep – consider drawing or coloring.

Another option, if weather and location permits, is taking a walk. If possible, walk where you’re not likely to encounter people. This is not the time for conversation. This is your introspection time. During this time, let yourself consider not only what’s on your plate but what’s coming and what you’d like to be doing more of. .Or you can take time to get clearer on your priorities and what you’d like to tackle first. Consider one or several items. By the time you return, you will be organized and raring to go.

If you are a napper and don’t want to risk being seen sleeping at your desk, Hendrix offers the possibility of dozing in your car. Don’t forget to set an alarm so you’re back on time. The results will be the same. But remember – this is not the time for answering emails, texting, or even playing phone games. This is your brain’s chance for a reset.

Hendrix notes, “expecting creative work to flow throughout (the day) isn’t reasonable. Making complex decisions and doing deep, challenging work is also difficult to do all day, every day. Unless we take that time away.”

In school, kids have naps through kindergarten. It helps them stay relaxed and focused in the afternoon. Maybe if we all had these pauses, students and teachers alike. we would have fewer behavior problems. Some schools have created time-out places as they integrate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into the day. It’s worth learning if this is a place you can use. And it’s definitely worth making time for that downtime for you.

As a leader, sometimes you need to just get away from it all. For just a little while. When you return, you will be rested, restored, and ready to go.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Spark Your Creativity

Are you creative?

What was your first reaction to the question? You probably thought in artistic terms. If you knit or draw, you may have categorized yourself as creative. Those of you who design great book art projects or bulletin boards tend to do the same. But there is more to creativity than art.

When you consider redesigning your library to meet current needs, you need to be creative. When you want to come up with a project that will excite and engage students, you need to be creative. When you want to get more money for the library program (an outgrowth of the previous statement), you need to be creative.

Any time you want to move past the status quo, you need to be creative. We are all creative, and, frequently, more creative than we realize. But what do we do on the days when we are so tired the thought of being creative is beyond us? How do we break out of that “too tired to think” sense?

Alaina Love has some great recommendations for how to spark your creativity in Building an Imagination Process. As I do, Love recommends “establish[ing] a space for imagination.” She proposes four steps for doing this.

Value the Trinity – Love says we need the trinity of imagination, inspiration, and creativity – to be creative. You can free your imagination by asking, “what if?” For example, what would my library program and facility be like if money weren’t an issue? Creativity will flow from there. Don’t censor yourself by thinking you will never get the money. First get the idea. You can then get creative about money sources.

Establish and Value Your Process – I love the phrase she uses: “It’s hard to get creative in the middle of a hurricane.” What she means by this is you may need to change your surroundings to free your imagination. I’ve written often of my passion for walking. When I’m out and about, I let my brain run free and think of words and phrases associated with what I’m working on. On my return, I record my thoughts. With these new ideas igniting my thinking, I am ready to form them into a concrete plan of action..

Find what works for you. It could be journaling or sitting quietly in a comfortable chair. What matters is that you find the method that sets your imagination free. Then cultivate it.

Be Judgement Free – All that matters is what is right for you. Don’t stress about whether your way is the best way or if you should try something different. Best is not the answer. As long as you are thinking in new and creative ways you are doing it right. It’s much like not censoring whether the ideas you generated can be achieved.

You may not be immediately successful. You are establishing (creating?) a different practice. It takes time to be comfortable with it. As long as you’ve stopped thinking about the “hurricane,” you are heading in the right direction.

Start Small – In another great expression, Love says you shouldn’t try to “boil the ocean.” Start with the project to engage students rather than developing a new library program and facility. See how the space you have created works for you.

As you get better at this, you will automatically tweak how you get into your imagination space. It will be comfortable. Make it a regular part of your week.

Developing this practice will give you a direction, resulting in changes that will demonstrate the leader you are – and your value to your students, teachers, administrators, and the community. Just imagine what that would be like.