LM October 2020_lg

NotAlone ... cont’d.

The Mayo Clinic identified the 4 “A’s” of coping with stress: Avert, Accept, Alter, and Adapt . Some key takeaways I have found useful in addressing superintendent COVID stress from these “A’s” include:

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Proactively communicate to keep people informed of what is happening before it happens.

You can avert stress by saying “no” more often. Focus on the essential tasks at this time.

When you feel tension building, close your eyes, take a deep breath and let it out slowly. You are allowed to feel in the moment, but others are watching your response to the situation. Don’t make a hard decision; give yourself some time. Be kind to yourself. No one is keeping score on the number of emails that must be answered, and you don’t need to be at every Zoom meeting. When attacked, have some good short responses ready, like “Wow, that sounds tough!” or, “It sounds like you did everything you could” or, “That is really unfortunate.”

Accept the temporary reality with the understanding that you cannot control everything. You are managing the situation the best you can.

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Alter your reaction to stress by choosing your response. People will react differently in your organization and community based on a thoughtful response. Be positive in the face of change. Look at what is in front of you as an opportunity, as opposed to a challenge. Adapt to the changes the pandemic presents as there are no proven solutions to the problem (yet).

Connect with others. We are in this together. 10

To close, superintendents have been given the responsibility to face the challenges of the pandemic by their school boards and communities. This fact by itself places disproportionate levels of stress upon you. But as I said earlier, you are not alone. Each of us occasionally gets a swift kick in our axis, but, through some of the tips I have shared with you, you can quickly recalibrate yourself to lead forward through these turbulent times.

Dr. Jon Bartelt Superintendent Bloomingdale SD #13

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