MINDFULNESS AND LEADERSHIP

We are hearing the word "mindfulness" and the phrase "mindful leader" more and more often lately.  I've seen posts on Facebook about being mindful, articles in professional journals on the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, and professional development opportunities related to social-emotional learning that claim mindful practices reduce stress, enhance work-life balance,  and even improve cognitive functioning.

But...what exactly IS mindfulness? And, why are so many people, including school professionals, embracing the mindful movement?

Mindfulness, in simplest terms, means being present in the moment. It means focusing on the here-and-now, pushing aside all distractions and remaining in tune with what is happening at that specific moment.   Jon Kabat-Zinn, a famous teacher of mindfulness meditation and the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center,  defines it like this:  “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally.”  I like his definition.

So, why mindfulness and principal leadership?  Personally, I think the practice of mindfulness or being mindful has the potential to change the feel and look of the principalship considerably... for the better.

The roles and responsibilities of the principal are changing so rapidly that it is nearly impossible to keep up.  The daily challenges principals face grow increasingly complex and urgent often resulting in a state of heightened stress for hours on end.  The public demand that principals lead with excellence in all situations regardless of the degree of complexity or ensuing circumstances weighs heavily on already physically and emotionally exhausted leaders.  Stress becomes an everyday way of life until one day, the principal wakes up to realize that s/he simply can no longer maintain the flat-out, burning-the-candle-at-both-ends pace another minute.  They recognize that their decision-making ability is not as sharp as it once was and leading has simply become hanging on with the hope of maintaining the status quo and not slipping backwards.  Such has become the norm for many well-meaning and committed principals.

Thankfully, it doesn't have to be like this.

Incorporating mindful practices into your day can help offset the everyday stressors that cause you to remain in a heightened adrenaline rush-type emotional state for longer than is healthy or beneficial.  Starting your day in a mindful way will help set a positive tone for your entire day.  Pausing or taking a minute to breathe during the day will help to re-center and calm you in the midst of the chaos.  Ending your day with mindful practice helps prepare your brain and body for restorative sleep.

If you want to try a quick and simple mindful practice that can easily be assimilated into your busy day, try the meditation activity below.  This is a great exercise for beginners or for anyone who simply needs to stop and catch their breath.  I like to start my day out in this way and have added this to my morning routine.

An Easy Mindful Meditation

1. Take a seat. Find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.
2. Set a time limit. If you’re just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as 5 or 10 minutes.
3. Notice your body. You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely cross-legged, in lotus posture, you can kneel—all are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position you can stay in for a while.
4. Feel your breath. Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes out and as it goes in.
5. Notice when your mind has wandered. Inevitably, your attention will leave the sensations of the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing this—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—simply return your attention to the breath.
6. Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in. Just come back (from The Mindful Staff).

The principalship does not have to leave you overwhelmed, exhausted, and burned out.  There are ways to bring work and home back into balance.  Incorporating mindful practices into your day can help renew, recharge, and rejuvenate you on a daily basis so that you can continue to grow, learn and lead in the way you always intended.