Fewer intentional actions can lead to greater results.

The new year often brings a surge of energy and a desire to make big changes. Resolutions and long lists of goals can feel motivating at first, but for busy school leaders, this “new year new you” mindset can quickly lead to overwhelm. Instead of energising you, it can leave you feeling stretched thin, with too much on your plate. 

What if, instead of trying to tackle everything at once, you focused on just a few things that would make the biggest difference? By narrowing your priorities, you can create a more manageable and impactful start to the term. 

The danger of trying to do too much 

January often feels like the time to address every challenge, but setting too many goals at once is like trying to carry too many school books – eventually, something’s going to fall! When school leaders take on too much, important initiatives can get sidelined, team members may feel pulled in too many directions and the overall impact becomes diluted. 

When you focus on too many things, the result can be: 

• Lack of clarity: It becomes harder for you and your team to see what’s most important. 

• Diminished impact: Your efforts are spread so thin that no single area gets the attention it needs to truly thrive. 

• Increased stress: You’re left feeling like you’re constantly chasing your tail, with little sense of progress or achievement. 

The power of narrowing your focus 

By focusing on just one or two key intentional actions for the term, you give yourself and your team the space to make meaningful progress – the perfect antidote to overwhelm! 

A reflective question to guide you 

As you step into Term 3, take a moment to reflect: 

What is the one thing that, if done well this term, would make everything else easier or less important? 

This question, adapted from Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism, can help you pinpoint the area where your energy will have the greatest impact. Whether it’s improving team communication, supporting a struggling colleague or embedding a new initiative, keeping your focus narrow can create a ripple effect that lightens the load elsewhere. 

Leading by example 

By modelling this approach, you also set a powerful example for your team. Encouraging them to prioritise and focus on what matters most creates a culture where quality trumps quantity. It shows your team that you value depth of impact over spreading themselves too thin; it also gives them permission to do the same. 

Start small, think big 

It’s natural to want to achieve great things in your role as a leader, but greatness doesn’t come from trying to do it all. It comes from consistent, focused effort on the things that truly matter. So, this term, I invite you to resist the pull of “new year new you” and instead, embrace the power of less and watch how much more you can achieve.