148. Developing your Distress Tolerance as a School Leader

<p>You’re no stranger to challenges.</p><p>Whether it’s helping fifteen children into their winter coats, navigating a difficult relationship with one of your teachers, or balancing a busy schedule, you have a lot on your plate.</p><p><br></p><p>It’s stressful. It may even be distressing.</p><p><br></p><p>Enter distress tolerance. Building your own, personal level of distress tolerance is one of the most powerful ways you can manage the inevitable challenges of life as a school leader.</p><p><br></p><p>Let me give you an example.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Recently, my husband and son went on a road trip together, leaving me to solo parent our other three children. As luck would have it, during their trip I had an immovable dentist appointment on the same day my other children returned from camp early.</p><p><br></p><p>Typically, I avoid bringing my kids on errands at all costs. But this time, it was unavoidable. Based on the dentist’s available time slots, I had two options:&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><ol><li>Pick the earlier time slot and bring them directly to the dentist’s office,&nbsp;</li><li>or choose a later time and take them home first.</li></ol><br/><p><br></p><p>Years of developing distress tolerance led me to pick the later time.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Why?&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Because it allowed me the space to fill my cup <em>and </em>those of my children <em>before </em>we did something none of us wanted to do. I was able to bring my kids home, have a snack, and give them some personal mommy time before we headed to the dentist’s office.</p><p><br></p><p>Why am I telling you this story?&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Because this decision-making process was distress tolerance in action. As mundane as a schedule conflict might seem, it’s one of the most prevalent stressors that threatens to throw us off balance.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>And when we’re off balance, our entire team can feel it.</p><p><br></p><p>In this week’s podcast episode, I’m going to dig into distress tolerance and resilience in the childcare indu