Time Snatchers

 

A ridiculously busy term has meant very little blogging unfortunately. You’d think after seven years as a school principal I would have by now developed systems to guard against “busyness” – unfortunately, no. The intentions are there – I even preached “do less better” to the team at the term break in-service – but unfortunately there continues to be a disconnect between the intention and the reality of work. You get into the swamp of a busy school term and the best plans can go out the window. I know I’m not alone in this – many principals I speak with are also finding time a precious and ever shrinking commodity, and many of the blogging principals I follow aren’t showing up in my Reader so much recently!

I reflected on this recently and thought I’d share my thoughts for anyone interested over the next few posts. I identified five key “time snatchers” and tried to identify ways to avoid more of the same in the future.

Time Snatcher #1: The incidentals that crop up. This is the parent who just must see you now, the child who is injured, the MOE official who is passing by and pops in unannounced, the staff member who is having personal difficulties and needs to fill you in – and a million other things that crop up in the average week that aren’t (and can’t be) planned.

My contribution to this: I work on an “open door” basis, and make sure that I am out and about as often as possible during breaks, before and after school etc. I try to make time for people where and when I can, sometimes sacrificing my own breaks/ thinking time/ classroom time.

Reflection:

I need to better alternate closed and open doors (there are appropriate times for both). I like to see and hear what is going on around the school, to shout out a greeting to staff/students/parents as they pass my office. I dislike sitting in my office with the door closed, disconnected from the daily life of the school, even though I know it is necessary. I need to get over this mindset and take the time that I need without interruptions.

I need to balance being out and about and accessible with giving myself the time to think and plan deeply. One strategy for this (as a starting point) is to have a day a week which has a strong admin focus i.e. I am not likely to be in the playground or carpark on that day. This is hard for me to do but necessary and if I’m honest most don’t miss or notice if I am not there one day a week!  

I need to better distinguish between the urgent and the important. The important conversation can happen at a mutually convenient time; the urgent must happen NOW. One strategy I’m trying here is to actually ask that question of people as they come to me if I am busy on other things: “I can see this issue is important to you, and I want to make time to talk with you – is it urgent?” People respond pretty well to this. I see also the cycle I am creating here – the open door is an invitation, so people will come in with whatever they feel like discussing, whereas a closed door acts as it’s own filter.

So overall is the message to reclaiming my time to just close the door? Partly it is. I know that being able to be planned, organised and running to my own schedule is vital to feeling positive about my contribution to the school. Reacting to other people’s needs is less likely to bring feelings of satisfaction. There are times you do have to just react but hopefully I can be more strategic about such things in the future.  That’s the term four goal anyway – “do less better”!