“You can’t serve from an empty vessel.” — Eleanor Brown

There’s a particular kind of tired that settles over a school building in late February. It’s not the chaos of August or the sprint of December. It’s deeper. The honeymoon is long gone. The routines that felt fresh in September feel like a grind. Teachers are running on fumes, students are restless, and you—the principal—are quietly wondering how you’ll sustain this pace until May.

If that’s where you are right now, you’re not failing. You’re experiencing what I call the Spring Slump.

In Chapter 19 of The Principal’s Leadership Journey, I tell the story of Principal Sheila Weber, who sat in her office at 8:30 p.m. reviewing budget reports while her third cup of coffee grew cold. Her phone buzzing with another parent email. Tomorrow’s observation schedule already overbooked. The fourth night that week she’d missed dinner with her family. Six months later, Sheila was in the hospital with stress-related health issues.

Her story isn’t extreme. It’s common. Research from NASSP found that 42% of principals report feeling burned out several times per week. And here’s what makes it dangerous: when the principal burns out, the entire school community suffers.

Maxwell’s Law of Priorities: The 80/20 Principle

John Maxwell teaches that leaders must focus on their highest-value activities rather than trying to do everything. His 80/20 principle applied to leadership sustainability means investing 80% of your self-care energy in the 20% of practices that yield the greatest renewal.

I learned this the hard way. During my early years as principal, I collapsed while on bus duty. My doctor didn’t mince words: “You’re leading a wagon train without stopping to rest or resupply.” That wake-up call transformed my entire approach to leadership.

Five Things to Do This Week

1. Recalibrate Your True North

Chapter 1 of the book introduces the COMPASS Framework for finding your leadership purpose. When did you last revisit yours? Not the strategic plan. Not the improvement goals. Your actual why. Take 10 minutes at your next staff meeting to tell a story about a student who’s been transformed this year. Remind your people—and yourself—why this work matters.

2. Audit Your Calendar Against Your Mission

In the book, I recommend color-coding your calendar: green for activities aligned with your True North, red for necessary but unaligned tasks. Most principals I coach are shocked by how much red they see. If you’re spending more time on email than in classrooms, something has drifted. Protect your highest-impact hours for the rest of the semester.

3. Schedule a Mid-Year Listening Tour

You probably did one in August. Do it again. Walk into classrooms not to evaluate, but to connect. Sit in the teacher’s lounge. Ask two questions: What’s working? What do you need from me? Then follow through. Chapter 2 on trust-building explains why: nothing rebuilds energy faster than a leader who listens and acts.

4. Celebrate Something—This Week

Maxwell says people do what’s recognized and rewarded. When was the last time you publicly recognized something going right in your building? Not at the end-of-year banquet. This week. A handwritten note to a teacher who handled a tough situation well costs you five minutes and a stamp. Teachers keep those notes for years.

5. Refill Your Own Tank—Not as an Afterthought

The SURVIVE Framework from Chapter 19 starts with Sleep and Sacred Rest for a reason. If you’re running on caffeine and adrenaline, you’re leading from deficit. Your staff can tell. What’s one thing you can do this week to refill your own tank? A walk at lunch. A conversation with a mentor. Leaving the building at a reasonable hour one night.

“Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint. Your effectiveness depends on your ability to maintain physical, emotional, and spiritual strength.” — The Principal’s Leadership Journey, Chapter 19

The next few months will determine how this school year is remembered. Not by test scores alone, but by whether your team stayed together, stayed focused, and stayed encouraged through the hardest stretch. You set the tone. And you’re more ready than you think.

Dr. Jeanne C. Ford is the author of The Principal’s Leadership Journey: Conquer Challenges, Inspire Others, Transform Schools, available now on Amazon. She coaches school leaders nationwide through JFord Equips. For speaking, training, or coaching inquiries, visit jfordequips.com/contact.