Prioritising Wellbeing for School Leaders

^{By Lyne Cunneen, Director, School Community Services}

As we approach September and October, months that spotlight mental health awareness with events like RUOK Day, it's a good time for school leaders to reflect on their wellbeing. How can you do this?

Self-Check-Ins

Before checking in with others, it’s important to first check in with yourself. We often ask others, "RUOK?" but how often do we ask ourselves the same question? As school leaders, you support the wellbeing of students, staff, and families. To do this effectively, you need to prioritise your own wellbeing first. Think of the aeroplane safety instruction: put on your oxygen mask first, before helping others.

Finding Your Path to Wellbeing

Wellbeing looks different for everyone. While nutrition, physical activity, and sleep are often the primary focus, there are some other factors that play an important role in wellbeing and executive wellness. Some questions to ask yourself as you ponder your path to wellbeing are:

• Do I have the opportunity to build a positive culture in the school community relationships or is my day taken up with managing challenging behaviours and/or relationships?
• Do I have enough time to problem solve and find long term solutions?
• Do I have the opportunity to engage in the parts of my role that bring me joy?
• Where/How can I find a few minutes to switch off during the day?
• Do I have time to plan ahead or am I continually in crisis mode? 

Take Action

Reflect on how you could improve your wellbeing by asking yourself:

• If my wellbeing is slightly better than it is now, what would that look like?
• What is one small change I could make that would improve my wellbeing?
• When will I make this change?

Taking care of yourself allows you to better support others. For school leaders, balancing responsibilities can be challenging. CatholicCare Sydney’s Thriving Leaders program offers support and strategies to help you prioritise your wellbeing and mental health. By focusing on stress management, resilience, and work-life balance, the program helps you lead a healthier, more balanced life—benefiting you and your school community.

To learn more about Thriving Leaders or to participate in the program, Catholic school leaders are encouraged to contact CatholicCare Sydney or engage with their diocesan principal wellbeing teams. 

About the author

Lyne Cunneen brings nearly five decades of expertise in education, counselling, psychology, and leadership to her role as Director, School Community Services at CatholicCare Sydney. Her current role is dedicated to enhancing school communities' wellbeing, supporting principals, school leaders, counsellors, and families within Catholic education.