Posted on by hildaweisburg

Small Changes Can Bring Big Results

Too much to do. So little time to do it all. Does that sound familiar? What we don’t need is another lengthy time-management system. So how about a small one?

In her blog article,The Power of Micro Habits: How Small Changes Drive Big Success in the Workplace, Mary Kelly recommends 10 routines to power your workday. (You might want to create routines for your personal life as well.) Several of these resonated with me so much, I will be adding to my routines.

Here are her 10, along with my usual adaptations and comments for our education world.

  1. Start the Day with a Clear Plan – In the words of Yogi Berra, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” Kelly asks you to take five minutes to identify your top three priorities for the day. For me, that means putting stars next to the tasks on my to-do list. I also have things I do on certain days, like which day of the week I write this blog.
  2. Use the Two-Minute Rule – Complete any task needing less than two minutes before doing anything else. Kelly suggests email for this. I do that while my morning tea is steeping. This way, before you begin, you have already accomplished something that needed to be done while still leaving plenty of time for the priority tasks. If email is a gateway for you to open more things, find another starter.
  3. Take a 60-Second Brain Break –Kelly recommends doing this every hour. Pausing, closing your eyes, listening to a white noise app even for a short as a minute can “reduce stress, improve focus and books creativity.”
  4. Stand Up and Stretch Every Hour –Physical activity is good for your muscles and improves your focus and concentration. If you can walk, great, but even a short stretch has lasting benefits. This is something I am adding to my day.
  5. Use the ‘One-Touch’ Rule for Emails – Another one to add to my routine. Kelly has four “D’s” to use with email. “Do it, delay it (that means schedule it to handle when you have more time or all of the information you need), delete it, or delegate it.” The last may not be an option, but look for ways to use the other. Whenever you handle a piece of email two or more times, you are losing valuable time.
  6. Acknowledge Others Every Day – There is nothing so meaningful as an honest compliment. Find ways to acknowledge students, teachers and others in your life. I sent an email yesterday to my landscaper complimenting his people on the great job they did trimming overgrown trees and bushes. I asked him to pass it along to the crew who did it. He was so pleased to hear it. When you do this at work, you build connections and advocacy.
  7. Hydrate Regularly – This one surprised me. Kelly says to take a sip of water at least every 30 minutes. Even slight dehydration lowers your productivity and can be hard to notice. I don’t do this, but I will try.
  8. Set a Shutdown Ritual at the End of the Day – Clean up your desk. Make sure the library is ready for everyone tomorrow. You want to be able to start your day ready to go, not finishing up yesterday. It will also be a mood boost when you arrive in the morning.
  9. Limit Social Media to Set Breaks – They call it “doom scrolling” for a reason. Try to stay off your phone. There’s nothing there that can’t wait. Kelly suggests designating no more than two times a day to browse so you don’t interrupt your workflow. And even then, be careful of getting lost down that rabbit hole.
  10. Write Down One Work Win Each Day – It’s so easy to forget all that you accomplish. Don’t limit yourself to just one. You get a lot done every day. I keep a Success Journal by my computer. I will be recording that I wrote my weekly blog.

If you need a little extra help, Kelly offers a Productivity Sheet you can download. In reviewing these ten, you can see how these routines might help you maintain a more positive mindset. And, when you have a positive mindset your students and colleagues feel it and benefit from it. You are a better leader as a result.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Productive Procrastinating

Maybe the title seems contradictory, but for many of us – procrastinating is something we can’t stop. So what if there was a way to use it to support our goals.

Because, there’s always something to do. Even summer vacation isn’t fully a vacation. There are conferences to attend. Webinars and e-learning to improve skills. Books to catch up on for pleasure and professional reading. How have you done so far with those plans?

Even in retirement, I’ve had things to do. I’m just back from Philly where I went to the ALA Conference and learned more than I expected. I also achieved a goal I had of making contact with some colleagues about being an adjunct for their university. Then I returned to a full plate. I looked at my to-do list and got started finishing a book and updating a course I will teach in two weeks.

But my plans unexpectedly stalled when I discovered I needed help from the school’s IT department, who weren’t available because of the July 4th weekend. Instead of jumping directly into editing the book, I decided it was time to take a break. I felt a little guilty about it, until I reminded myself of Kris Ann Valdez’ blog article Can Procrastination Actually Boost Your Productivity and Creativity?  

Valdez quotes cultural strategist, Margaret Ricci who says after years of grappling and hating procrastination, she now embraces this time, noting “the time she spends incubating her ideas before her deep work begins ultimately benefits her outcome.” But there is an obvious negative effect of procrastination. If you keep doing it, the tasks will never get done.

The idea proposed in the article is to give a structure and balance to work and procrastination. You do both in in short sprints. First, you need to know the deadline (or set one). That gives you an important parameter. Then, determine what steps are necessary to reach completion. Then allow yourself a break when you complete a step.

I know I will play solitaire once I complete this blog. Depending on what needs to be done by when, I will allow myself only a set number of winning games before returning to the tasks. Some of you procrastinate by turning to your phone or social media. If you set up a structure for how much and how long, you will get back to work after the time you allowed for it.

The article by Valdez recommends using Fuel, Focus, Flow, to increase your productivity levels.

Fuel – Know how your energy level grows and depletes during the day. I know I am most creative in the morning. I couldn’t write a blog or a new chapter in a book if I started in the afternoon. Be aware of what you need to increase your energy level when it dips. Coffee or a snack is a simple possibility when you need a boost. Where does joy come in for you? I track all wins (like getting the blog done) in my success journal. Start one if you think that will energize you.

Focus – The article recommends gamifying working by doing something like seeing how much you can do in ten minutes. I estimate how long it will take me to write or edit something. I check on how I am doing, but it’s fine if it takes me longer. It still gets done.

Flow – Physical movement increases dopamine, the reward neurotransmitter. Fidget tools or walking pads allow for movement while staying at your desk. Heading out to walk frees my mind from clutter, and I can dictate ideas into my phone. And when I get new ideas or see how I can do something differently, it helps my mental well-being. What is your preference?

Valdez’ article concludes with these words of wisdom, “The goal isn’t to eliminate procrastination It’s to contain it, learn from it and use it as a signal.” If you can’t stop procrastinating, find a way to use it instead. With that, this blog is complete. I am going to play solitaire until I win one game.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Create a Shut-Down Routine

Parents know that a before-bedtime routine for children allows them to slide easily into sleep. Why do we stop this? As a school librarian and a leader, you have a lot on your plate. Sometimes it may feel like you are going twenty-four hours a day, or at least every waking hour. But that’s not sustainable.

Your brain needs time to cool off as much as an athlete does after a competition or workout. I recommend taking short breaks throughout the day. Consider using some of your lunchtime, which may be skipping or eating at your desk, and take a walk (preferably in a place where you don’t get stopped and asked questions).

Dan Rockwell, the self-proclaimed Leadership Freak, posted this great idea in his blog post, 7 Habits to End the Day. These are his recommendations, along with my usual adds for school librarians.

  1. Leave before fatigue sets in – You want to do just one more thing now that the library is quiet. But then that one thing becomes another thing and now it’s late and you are exhausted. The Leadership Freak reminds us that, “Long hours yield diminishing returns. The longer you work, the less you get done.”  Leave. Do the thing tomorrow.
  2. Practice closure – You need to bring things to an orderly end so you know where you are when you pick things up the next day. As Rockwell recommends: “Create a simple ritual to end the day.” Write down the steps until you internalize the routine. These will become a signal to your brain that you’re stopping.
  3. Reflect briefly – This is always a calming process. The Leadership Freak offers several questions to guide your reflection, saying you should pick three. Among them are: How were you the leader you aspire to be? What did you do that mattered most? What’s tomorrow’s first move? Choose or create questions that work best for you.
  4. Prepare your desk for the morning – We know the benefits of this, but it doesn’t usually happen when you stay too long and leave in a rush. Get rid of any post-it notes you have attended to. Clear whatever garbage has accumulated on your desk. Put out what you need to see first thing.
  5. Set boundaries – You often have some work to do at home. The Leadership Freak says to set a specific time in the evening when you will do it and stick to that. Don’t do more than is necessary, and don’t take planned time away from family. Work can wait until tomorrow.
  6. Keep a work notebook at home – Don’t trust your memory. You don’t want to lose these flashes, but you can’t do things now. Knowing what needs to be done tomorrow or further in the future will keep you more organized and productive. And you won’t worry about forgetting.
  7. Get physical – Rockwell recommends mowing the lawn, taking a walk, playing with your kids. As I said earlier, I walk. I have friends who do yoga. There are numerous ideas online for what you can do to move your body. “Physical activity clears mental clutter.” Additionally, it improves your physical health, which increases your capacity and resiliency.

There are so many people who need you at your best. Your family, who you may be short-changing, as well as the people you serve in your school. Being the ever-ready bunny makes you prone to anger, forgetful, and careless. To be a better leader, learn to take a break and build a routine so you shut down at the end of the workday.

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To-Do’s to Make You A Better Leader

Librarians are lifelong learners which is key to supporting and growing our programs. We learn about the latest tech and the newest books for our students. We learn about the ways they take in information and how we can support them to be critical thinkers so that they keep an open mind and are also constantly learning.

What we don’t often focus on what we need to learn to become better leaders. The vision of AASL is “Every school librarian is a leader; every learner has a school librarian.” It is incumbent on us to be the best leader we can be. The better we become at leading our school community, the better we can do all the other things that are our high priorities.

To lift your leadership to the next level, consider using David Durand’s Four Daily Habits That Separate Giants From the Pack. Here are his recommendations with my modifications for our education world:

Daily habit 1: Bring your thoughts to life with action

If you think it, write it. In the course of your busy day, you may have a passing thought of a possible change that would address a problem or increase the reach of the library. Lock on to it. As soon as you have time, record it digitally or manually.

Review your list regularly to identify which of your ideas needs to or can become a reality. Start the planning process with action steps, including start and by-when dates. If it is a big project, such as developing a new strategic plan, begin with your Mission Statement, then look at who will be involved, what needs to be done, and how you will assess it.

Daily habit 2: Find concrete reasons to believe

It’s too easy to say the idea is “pie in the sky” and will never happen. Yes, it might not work. But you will learn much along the way if you try. And what if it does work?

Durand say, “Giants find reasons to believe, and they do it daily. They set a goal and begin building a realistic case for how and why they can and should accomplish it.” You have seen what leaders in the field have done. If they can do it, so can you. You might even contact them for advice or ask if they would consider being your mentor. Trying is the only way to know for sure.

Daily habit 3: Break your morning down into 3 daily tasks

  • First task: Get your head right – Focus. What mindset will forward your Vision and Mission today? Remind yourself of it during the day to maintain you focus.
  • Second task: Guard the culture – Your library culture which should stem from your Mission usually is related to the idea that the library welcomes everyone. It is a safe haven and a place where learning happens. Embody it in all your interactions.
  • Third task: Do the thing that moves the needle most before anything else – Know your priorities. It’s easy to get sidetracked. Know what comes first and get it done. At the end of the day you will be able to see you accomplished something that moved the library forward in some way.

Daily habit 4: Keep primary responsibilities primary, or you will unconsciously complicate secondary responsibilities

Durand warns to keep the third task in mind. You have many responsibilities but there will always be interruptions in your day. Keep your focus (First Task) and be sure the first thing you do is what needs to come first, or you are likely to have a day filled with only secondary tasks. You may be preparing monthly report and start designing the infographic you will use. However, as you work on the content (your primary responsibility) you realize the infographic needs to be tweaked or redone.

Just like librarians, leaders are always learning. When you look for the ways you need to learn and grow, you become the librarian and leader your students, teachers, district, and administrators need.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Lessons in Leadership – From Drawing

Being a leader—and always learning to be a better leader—is an essential part of our job. In today’s world, we need to embrace AASL’s Vision, “Every School Librarian is a leader; Every learner has a school librarian.” When we aren’t leaders, our learners are more likely to lose their school librarian.

The stress school librarians are facing while trying to do their jobs is taking away their joy, replacing it with fear. It’s time to turn the page. We must be interwoven into our school community and the outside community as well. We must become like Velcro, totally attached. Someone who would be unthinkable to eliminate.

After spending too much time focusing on work and losing touch with what was most important, Joshua James, co-founder of 8 Bit Content, made the conscious decision to spend more time with his family and children. And while coloring… he learned important lessons about leadership. In his article, 5 Leadership Insights from Drawing with My Kids, James provides us with an idea of not only in how to be better leaders, but how to restore balance in our lives. These are his insights, with my thoughts on how we can best manifest them:

  1. Perfection Is the Enemy of Progress – James noticed that for his children “their best work isn’t the one with the most perfect lines or flawless details. The drawings they’re most proud of are the ones they finish.” We can’t be perfect. Neither can our students. Consistency and growth bring progress. You will smooth out the wrinkles later. Everything we complete, everything that goes well, if not perfectly, is a win. If you need help to see your progress, keep a Succes Journal to record all your wins, big and small.
  2. Frustration Is Part of the Process – Sometimes it feels as though you will never get it right. But that… is part of the process, part of learning and leading. James says, “How we respond to this frustration is critical to how we lead. By taking a step back, reflecting, and giving ourselves space to reframe a situation, we can model healthy coping strategies for our staff and students.” Being emotionally resilient means we are patient when needed and can adjust our perspective. We allow it in our students. We must allow it in ourselves.
  3. Plans Don’t Always Go as Expected—and That’s Okay – In my experience, if it’s a large plan, it will rarely go completely as expected. I end up learning – and growing – along the way. It’s getting to the desired outcome that matters. As Ursula LeGuin famously said in The Left Hand of Darkness, “It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Learning doesn’t occur in a straight line. We face a block, we pivot, we find a new way, a work-around and learn something new along the way.
  4. Unplug to Be More Present – We are attached to our devices and our to-do lists. If you are doing that at work and home, you have a higher chance of burn-out and overwhelm. On top of that, you are also likely to become short-tempered and miss important subtle messages we get from students, teachers, and our family. Make time to get away from your devices. My salvation is taking walks. Yours can be anything you enjoy. Block it into your schedule. You will be a better leader and person as a result.
  5. Surround Yourself with Passionate People – Being around his children, sharing what they loved was a game changer for James. While we work to have good relationships with everyone (teachers, students and administrators) because all are served by the library, you need to connect with people who are feeling positive about what we do and why. We don’t need to buy into the views who only see gloom and doom. Reach out to your PLN not to mention friends and family. My life Vision includes “living with passion and purpose.” I choose to be close with those who are passionate about what they do. It motivates me further, enriching my life and well-being.

Bring balance into your life. Reconnect into your passions and your purpose. Remember why you became a librarian and what you want to achieve. As you internalize these five lessons, you present a more positive face to the world, making it easier to build more connections and become that Velcro to your school and outside communities.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Don’t Kill Time – Use It!

Most of us have a full plate. Our responsibilities are continually being added to. Our to-do lists are long. As soon as you cross something off, two more items take its place. And what about all the moments when we can’t get to what’s next on our list? We have doctor’s appointments, cars that need repairs, and why are the lines at the supermarket so long? This was supposed to be a quick trip.

And it seems to take forever before it’s our turn. If it ever is.

These outside interferences with our workflow and attempts at time management are frustrating, but there is something you can do. In his article Three Better Ways to Think About Time, Mark Sanborn offers you a way to be more productive when they occur. These are his recommendations along with my usual tweaks for our world:

  • “Fill Time” to “Fill Minds” – The first shift is from going from thinking “How will I fill this time?” to “How can I fill their minds?” Our goal is to prepare students for the unknowable future by guiding them into becoming lifelong readers and critical thinkers capable of navigating a rapidly changing world. Think about the short- and long-range outcome for an upcoming lesson you are planning and how it will impact your students, help the teachers, support administrators. You’ve been giving the time – use it to fill their minds.
  • “Kill Time” to “Mine Time”– Instead of thinking of how to kill time in the pockets of time we suddenly have (sitting in traffic, waiting in line), take ownership of it. You get so little time for yourself. Use these unexpected—and unchangeable—moments as a time for self-care. Read a book. Call a friend. Reflect on what’s working in your life. Count your successes (this is a favorite of mine). If you’re able, consider taking a short nap. As Sanborn says, what is important is extracting value from what you were considering dead time.
  • “Make Up for Lost Time” to “Make the Most of Present Time” – Sanborn notes we often try to make up for lost time. Again, he suggests we shift our focus.  Since the past can’t be undone, what can we do in the future? Be aware of what distracted you or wasted time in the past (doom-scrolling, anyone?) and do things differently in the moment. Know what time of day you are most productive. If you are like me, the mornings are best for you. Come in a bit earlier – and don’t turn on the lights in the library. That way no one will know you are there. Get a lesson plan done or other such task that requires your best. Then turn on the lights and officially start your day. Making the most of the present lessens the stress of the future.

Sanborn ends his article with this, “Moments are the building blocks of time, and when we treat each one with care, we’re not just making better use of our hours—we’re creating a life of purpose and fulfillment.” And that is why we are librarians and leaders. We seek a life of purpose and fulfillment. Our time and attention are precious, and the more we can choose how we use them, the more successful we are.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Get More Done in Short Sprints

It is great to have big goals, but when you try to take that first step, you may discover that instead of feeling excited, you are overwhelmed, exhausted, and drained. On a daily or weekly basis, it can be hard to believe you will ever get there. Once that belief gets hold of you, you may find yourself working less hard at achieving the goal, getting distracted or even giving up. So much for that goal, right?

Maybe not.

The secret to reaching that big goal is to break it down into manageable chunks and celebrate each step’s completion as you accomplish it. It’s how people write books, run marathons, make movies, compose symphonies, and start a new library program from scratch.

In his article, New Year, Strong Start: Launch 2025 With Momentum, Michael Watkins explains to a business audience how to put the Momentum Method of achieving goals in short sprints into practice. Much of his advice works well for us as we work on integrating our Mission into what we do each day and aim to see our Vision come closer to reality. His focus is planning by quarters. Given our schedules, I suggest monthly reviews.

These are some of his strategies along with some of mine:

Start by assessing your current situation and realities.

  • What do you ultimately want to achieve?
  • What small goal will be a step in that direction?
  • When can you realistically achieve it? One week? A month?

End of month assessment

  • How close did you get to your small goal?
  • Have any new opportunities and/or threats surfaced during the month? What can you do to address those?
  • What do you need to incorporate into your planning going forward?

Celebration

  • Remember getting stars for good work in elementary school? Find a way to celebrate your achievements. You can keep a chart and make notes on what worked (very helpful for seeing on tougher months), purchase flowers, or choose another treat you enjoy.
  • Make the star (or other memento) visible so you see it regularly. The reminder will leep you going.

Reflection

  • What did you do well? What spurred you on?
  • Where did you falter? Why?
  • What have you learned from this first sprint?
  • What is your next small goal.

Step by step you will work your way closer to that really big goal. Each small goal —and success—empowers you to keep going and helps you during the times when it feels too hard and you wonder why you set the goal in the first place. Because the goal is attainable, and you are getting there.

You set a goal because it matters to you. Yes, difficult times pull at our focus and big goals can feel daunting, but when you break it down, enjoy each success, you get closer and, like a true leader, inspire those around you. Short sprints can allow you to win the goal marathon.

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Time for a Reboot

New calendar, new planner, new month, new year. The start of a new year is the ideal time to take stock of where you are and where you want to go. You have completed about half of the school year and had your winter break. It’s time to return to work.

What will that work be? Will it be a daily slog till the end of the year? That doesn’t sound like a leader. When your computer gets sluggish, you reboot it. Now it’s your turn for a reboot.

In his article, Warning: Upgrade Your Personal Operating Model, Arne Gast opens with the statement: Effective leaders continually adapt their priorities, roles, time, and energy practices to stay ahead of new realities. He then goes on to present numerous steps to the business workers on how to move their career forward. Much of his advice can be applied to our work life. Here are some of the key steps along with my interpretations for the library program.

Assess your priorities – What is your main purpose? Look at your Mission Statement. Does it still capture the focus of what your program needs to be? Tweak it if it doesn’t. Remind yourself of what is at the core of what you do. Let these priorities inspire you.

Do you fully understand your mandates? – Who are your stakeholders? Do you fully understand their wants and needs and how the library meets them? Remember these 4 Truths:

  • Every library, regardless of its type, is part of a larger host system.
  • Every library, regardless of its type, gets all its funds and resources from this larger host system.
  • Those funds and resources depend on the value of the library to the larger host system.
  • That value is determined by the larger host system.

What can you quit doing now? – This is a tough but important one. How many projects do you have going? What’s in your daily routine that drains your time and energy? Can any be reduced or combined? Or still better – eliminated? If not, look to plan these things according to your energy. Tackle the least important (ex: emails) at your least productive/creative time of day.

Are you focused on the work that only you can do? – We bring greater breadth and depth to the educational program. What are you bringing to students? Teachers? Administrators? How are you implementing your Mission Statement on a daily basis? What, if anything, do you need to change? You are the only librarian in your building. Let your unique contribution shine.

Who has your back? – Which teachers collaborate or cooperate with you regularly? Does your principal know and support the work you do? The underlying question is how successfully have you been in building advocates for the library? After you answer this, determine what do you still need to do. Create an advocacy plan for the remainder of the year if you don’t have one in place.

Manage your time – We’re tired of hearing this, but there are only so many hours in a day. The skill of time management is to maximize what time is available. (And this goes back to “Whaht Can You Quit Now). Have a basic schedule for when you do certain tasks, recognizing there will always be incidents that require immediate attention. The schedule helps you get back on track. Know your most productive times. Use the least productive time for routine, almost non-thinking, tasks.

Optimize your energy – No one can keep going without draining their inner batteries. You need time to recover and restore your energy. Incorporate self-care and time for family and friends into your schedule (yes, put it in that new planner(. You will be more productive and bring a more positive mindset to your work day.

Who are your real friends? – Who are the people with whom you can safely and appropriately vent? Who do you talk to when you are stressed out? In addition to your PLN (professional learning network) you should have another PLN — a personal learning network which should include family members and good friends.

Gast’s steps will get you ready to return and be the leader you need to be. I have one more step.

Make time for gratitude – It’s easy to be negative. So much is wrong in education and in other areas of our lives and the world. Focusing on that gets us nowhere. Make it a point each day to find three things for which you are grateful. It can be as small as a teacher thanking you for a website or app you found for them. Or it can be as big as getting a grant. You’ll find your spirits lift when you notice these moments

Positive leaders attract others to them. Use these steps to recharge, recommit, and be ready to step into success.

Happy New Year.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Ready for the New Year

Although the school year is not quite half over, there is a fresh start feel when January begins. You come back after break refreshed and, hopefully, with more energy. Like Janus, the two-headed god, you naturally look back at what was and forward to what you will create for the next several months. While that is instinctive, you will be far more prepared if you have a planned approach for this reflection.

Joel Garfinkle provides a multi-step process in his article, “Reflecting on your year: How to end strong and start fresh.” You might not be able to do all steps now since you are probably reading this after the winter break has begun, but keep it on file for use at the end of the school year.

Step 1: Close Out the Old Year

  • Wrap up loose ends – Clear out the email. Finish off any reports that are due. Send a succinct email – in a visual format if possible – to your principal highlighting the achievements of teachers and students work in the library since school started. Get back to any teachers with whom you need to complete plans for the upcoming year.
  • Organize your space (physical or digital) – Make your desk look ready for work. Ditch or archive files in any format that are complete. Set up your digital or paper calendar.
  • Celebrate your accomplishments – We need to recognize our achievements. You sent the email to your principal. Keep it in mind for your end-of-school-year report. Take time to reflect on achievements, personal or job related. It’s too easy to overlook these as we turn to the next thing on our to-do lists.
  • Stay connected – We may be away from work, but the world goes on. Make sure those who might need it have a way to contact you. Plan on checking your PLN and professional associations so you aren’t blindsided by changes.

Step 2: Take a Well-Deserved Break

  • Unplug to recharge – This is self-care time, and you need it. Yes, you may need to stay connected, but it’s not 24/7. It’s not even every day. Time to read what you want!
  • Reconnect with family and friends – These are the important connections whether in person or via emails or Zoom. Enjoy the time to really listen to the people who matter most in your life. Have fun.
  • Strengthen your network – Yes, you should unplug, but while checking your PLN and associations, look for those who are sharing new ideas or having creative approaches to dealing with challenges. Follow them and/or do what is needed to let you keep track of them. Reach out and acknowledge those who really inspire you.
  • Practice gratitude – Now is a great time to thank those in your PLN, teachers, and others who have helped you through the bumps in the road. Handwritten messages are best but reach out in whatever way works for you.
  • Reflect on your growth – We often complain that our achievements are overlooked, but we do this to ourselves as well. In successfully managing the many challenges we deal with, we fail to recognize how much we have grown as leaders and professionals as a result.

Step 3: Prepare For a Fresh Start

  • Set clear goals – You’ve acknowledged your accomplishments. Now you get to build on them. Be honest about where you are now and where you want to be by the end of the school year. And as you look to see what you want to do more of – also look at what you want to less. Make sure to notice what projects excite you – because joy has become recognized for its importance to our mindset and for achieving more.
  • Organize priorities – Look at your Vision and Mission Statements. Do they need tweaking? What do you want to accomplish in the remainder of the school year? How will you do it? Create an action plan with steps and dates for reaching them. Include an assessment.
  • Learn from negatives – What didn’t work? No one has continued successes. We know failure is a learning opportunity; we just don’t always remember to apply that maxim to ourselves. Instead, ask your PLN for advice on how you might have managed it better. You will have strengthened your connections and grown as a result.
  • Track your wins – Always! This will help you through the unavoidable rough patches. I keep my “success journal” handy. It’s a great reminder of what I have accomplished.

You’re a leader and aware that if you aren’t planning for success, you are planning to fail. Clear your path to success and watch as you live into your Vision and Mission. As the year ends, I wish you a Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

Savor the Moments

We all lead hectic lives, rushing from one task to another, living by our to-do lists, our planners, our appointments. We are constantly under time pressure. When was the last time you savored something?

“Savor” is such a great word. The Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as “to enjoy food or an experience slowly, in order to enoy it as much as possible.” Slowly. Sounds nearly impossible. We usually take time to do this on special occasions, but there is more in life to savor beyond festive moments.

We do this work, hopefully, because we have a big “why” that allows us to embrace and enjoy our role as school librarians. As this year winds down, and many of us look forward to time away from work, it is time to take pleasure in savoring what we do and how our “why” impacts so many people.

In his article, The Power of Savoring: A Thanksgiving Reflection for Leaders, Dr. Ivan Joseph explains how savoring stimulates dopamine, the “feel good” neural transmitter. This “enhances motivation, reinforces positive behaviors, and builds pathways in the brain associated with hope and optimism.” Joseph offers these recommendations for you to bring savoring into your work life:

  • Celebrate Wins—Big and Small – Don’t let these moments pass you by. It’s not just your major triumphs, like getting a grant or starting a new program. It includes the little ones such as having a teacher thank you for a website to use in an upcoming project. Start a “success journal” to keep track of the wins. Give yourself a mental pat on the back – and look at it when things are stressful.
  • Build Reflection into Your Routine –Make time at the end of the day to think about all that occurred. Put it on your to-do list if you have to (I know… but it will be worth it). Focus on the positives. Consider doing it on your commute home as a way to transition out of your day.
  • Use Visual Anchors – Joseph advises having your awards posted where you can see them. You undoubtedly have served on a committee and been given a certificate in commendation of your work and service. If you received a thank you letter from a parent or teacher for something you did, have it framed and mount it in your office. Look at these confirmations of the contributions you make to the educational community. And if you don’t want to print out that email filled with praise – put it in a folder called “Savor” and go back to it when you need it.
  • Apply Lessons from the Best – Pointing to corporations such as Patagonia and HubSpot, Joseph says there is a performance return from savoring. Patagonia encourages employees to take time to enjoy nature. HubSpot uses “Cheers for Peers” where employees celebrate each other. Take a walk outdoors at lunch and savor the day. Send a note to a colleague letting them know you “see” what they do. Doing so is a way for you to savor that moment and gives them a chance to savor their own contributions.

The school year is heading into winter break. Put savoring into your life. Allow yourself to enjoy holiday preparations and time with family and friends. Savor the chance to sleep in, to read for pleasure, to watch a favorite movie. Taking time to savor the good will have you enjoying life more – and bring increased productivity when it’s time to return.