In our daily lives, we often go 60 miles an hour at all points, trying to accomplish as much as possible in as little time as possible.
I am guilty of this when trying to complete my daily tasks as Principal. I feel like there is always something to occupy my time…
A conversation with a student, staff member, or parent…
Some paperwork or email that needs to be handled “ASAP” …
An observation or walkthrough…
A classroom visit (usually the best part of my day) or a fire drill…
Any number of daily happenings.
Usually, I’ve crammed so much into my day, that I feel like I haven’t given any one thing the proper time that it deserves.
I often wish that a road sign that reads “reduced speed ahead” would appear before me, providing that much needed reminder.
It can be important to slow down at some point.
It is necessary to slow down at some point.
Try these strategies for reducing your speed and focusing on what matters:
#NoOfficeDay Schedule a day in which you spend all of your time in classrooms, with students and with teachers. Capture what’s happening and share with parents. If you are a teacher, try #NoDeskDay. Spend your day with students learning and growing.
One Goal Start your day by deciding what one thing you want to accomplish, and make sure that you make it happen. Set your One Goal, and try to accomplish it as early as possible. Avoid other tasks until you have accomplished your goal.
15 Minutes of Focus Give yourself a dedicated time to accomplish a task. You can start your day by focusing on email, opening and answering messages right away, or filing them for later action. Use a timer to ensure you are dedicating the time to your task. Once the timer goes off, move on to something else.
Leave Whitespace In page layout, whitespace is the empty space that is just as important aesthetically as the space that is taken up by content. In education, white space can be the time of our day that we leave open for exploration. If we don’t overschedule and leave time on our calendars, how would we fill that time? Chances are it could lead to productive work and meaningful rewards. Block off that time during your day, and use it to explore, read, learn, apply, question, and reflect.
Enjoy The Moment We often go through the majority of our day planning out the next part of our day. Here’s what I need to do this morning… Tonight I need to… When I wake up tomorrow…
Remember to reduce speed ahead. Live in each moment. Enjoy each moment. Don’t try to accomplish everything at the same time. Be present, and experience what you are doing right now. Give each moment the proper attention that it deserves.
Let us know how you reduce your speed and focus on what matters. Share at #4OCF on Twitter or in the comments section below.
Rich (@RACzyz)