Robert Reich was the United States Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton's first term in office. In a 1996 Hearst Newspaper poll Reich was considered the most effective Cabinet secretary in that administration.
In his book, "The Future of Success," Reich stresses the new economy was causing people to live more frenzied lives yet struggling with less economic security. He also states the added stress detracts from time and energy that used to be spent with family, community service, and leisure activities. Reich also goes on to share that in his view, Americans were working longer hours and with more stress than ever before in history (Reich, p 118-119).
So how does a true school leader help shape a culture in the district that puts a true emphasis on balance?
In this frenzied society we have created, there is a need to help employees, and ourselves, maintain a balance in our lives. "Balance is something that must be kept and maintained. It is not something we get into one time and stay there forever" (Meyer, p 241).
We may work very hard over the weekend to get balance back into our life. We may take a walk, read a few pages from a favorite book, spend time with the children and our spouse, and get the proper amount of sleep and nutrition. We start off Monday feeling very good about life. Now Tuesday comes along and throws a curve into our schedule and Wednesday is just a few clicks off being balanced. As we can easily see and perhaps relate to, we are slipping off balance.
While balance can not be done once and be "fixed" forever, the same is true of all the various components that make up our complex lives. Balance can not be "achieved over everything at once." Each of the different facets of our lives must be maintained and brought into balance in an ongoing and deliberate process (Meyer, p 242).
"Blessed are the balanced; they shall outlast everyone. One of the events in the summer Olympics is the pentathlon. It is composed of five events: pistol shooting, fencing, horseback riding, running, and swimming. The pentathlete's goal is to succeed in all five areas, not just one or two" (Warren, p 305).
"If we desire to live a balanced life, we must regularly examine and regulate various areas to keep them in balance. Balance is kept through making adjustments in our life. That means change" (Meyer, p 242).
|
