SamTastic Weekly Tip: 3/16/26 - Be Your Better Self

This week’s tip: Be Your Better Self

The most effective leaders strive to be centered, focused and in the moment. 

Your TimeTrack helps by providing structure to your day with management and instructional events already set.  Consider including “white space” between scheduled events to have time to mentally shift so you can arrive fully present for your next planned work.

Be sure to schedule daily Getting Started and Wrapping Up events.  This allows time to reflect on the day ahead, and consider the gains you made as you prepare to go home.  

Don’t stay longer at work than you planned.  There is no correlation with working longer and positive impact. In fact, the reverse is true.

Don’t skip the first step of your SAM Daily Meeting:  Celebrate a Win from the work you did yesterday.  This helps you keep focus on your mission and recognize progress. 

Throughout the day, resist the urge to multitask. Giving full attention to one person or task at a time improves both focus and relationships.  When you feel stressed in a conversation, pause before reacting.  Use your First Responders, even when you think you can do it faster.

Mindfulness habits can be effective, but take practice.  Try box breathing when stressed:  4-count inhale, hold, exhale, hold.  This can reset your system and ease stress.  Connect regularly with your why. Principals who stay most centered are those who keep their sense of purpose front and center: : a student note on the desk, a photo from a school event, or a personal mission statement. 

Some SAM principals schedule a break at their energy and patience low point of the day.  It can be as simple as shutting the office door and turning out the lights for 15 minutes. Other ideas: walk the outside perimeter of the school; take a power nap; listen to music for five minutes.

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It is budget time in most schools and districts.  Be sure to include your SAM services for the 2026-27 school year.  You can request an early invoice now by using this link: https://bit.ly/40GtA33  

Consider budgeting for the 20^th Annual National SAM Conference, too.  The conference provides an opportunity to learn from SAM teams across the US and an amazing array of national and international speakers, authors and thought leaders in leadership, education, and psychology.

20^th Annual National SAM Conference announcement video: https://www.wevideo.com/view/4003300281 

What does a SAM conference look like?  https://bit.ly/4cxGEw7