Taking Up Space

This was my second year to attend a Women in Leadership event that is sponsored by the Michigan Association of School Administrators. And while I’m not a school administrator, I work with a lot of them and I am a woman and I lead, so I went, again. Plus it was an opportunity for me to share some strategies in a breakout session with other women, which was so fun! The theme this year was “Taking up Space.”  I love that image. That we should stand up with confidence, hold our heads high, insert ourselves into the conversations, speak our truth and not shrink back. (As an aside, it’s something I’m intentionally modeling and explicitly encouraging my daughter and nieces to do as well). 

Throughout our two days together there were many sessions and discussions around work-life balance and taking care of ourselves as women and educators. Depending on your various roles in life, wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, caretaker, etc. things can get busy. And then compound that with a career and it can become overwhelming. As professionals (not specifically educators per se as this applies to other careers) who wear other hats, juggling all the things can feel impossible. It was pointed out by a keynote speaker that finding “balance” is actually unattainable. It is undue pressure we put on ourselves. We should not expect to keep the scale in perfect alignment, it will always teeter and totter. When we focus on one side of the scale, the other wavers. Visualizing that and accepting it can be liberating. Being aware and intentional about where we put our focus and why and when and to what degree is part of the “trick”. 

I’ve had the opportunity to work with a couple of groups of educators over the last several months. We’ve talked a lot about finding ways to institute “balance” and what that looks like. I shared with those professionals two concepts. One is the Pareto Principle which describes the 80-20 rule. It encourages people to consider areas to put 20% effort to get 80% results. It seems challenging at first to identify ways where this could work, but through some of my searches I was able to find some realistic suggestions to explore and try. Like spending 20% of your time with people who bring you 80% happiness or support. Or think about ways you can spend 20% on tasks at work that bring 80% greatest impact or success.

Another recommendation I offered to that group was the 888 rule.  This is another time management strategy that has someone divide their life into 3 categories, work, sleep and personal time (or “life” or fun) and to find ways to keep activities within those time parameters. 

While we wrestle with what is realistic and how we spend our time and energy to attempt some type of balance, perhaps these ideas will help. Ultimately, ensuring that you take up your own space, finding time to do things that fulfill you and keep you nurtured and healthy while also meeting the demands of your work life is essential. Stake claim to those moments and opportunities that fill you up and make you whole while you take up space in the world around you. You deserve to be seen, heard, and well.