The Admission and Enrollment world has become a year-round busy season, making it difficult for many of us to take time off without some level of stress or guilt. There never seems to be a “good” time to do it, yet it is essential to unplug and recharge in order to fill our tanks. If taking a week off feels challenging, the thought of taking three months away from the office to welcome a baby into the world can feel like scaling Mount Everest. But it is arguably the most valuable time you’ll ever have, and ultimately make you and your office better for it.
First, some context. I head up the Admission & Enrollment Office for an age 1 - grade 12 school with three campuses and around 1,300 students. I had babies in July 2018 and March 2020 so first I missed New Student Orientation (a massive event for which our office is responsible), launching a new admission cycle, and several other critical admission events. And March 2020? That’s right. My son was born on the first day of remote learning in the pandemic. Complicating matters even more that spring, our original middle and high school was in the midst of merging with two of our elementary feeder schools. Not exactly ideal timing for the boss to step away.
With that experience in mind, here’s some advice on how you can (and should!) rock out-of-office time like a boss – whether you’re the actual boss or not:
Set boundaries that work for you and your team.
I completely unplugged for the majority of my time away, and I wanted to ease back in around week 8 of 12. The thought of coming back completely cold after 12 weeks sounded overwhelming. I started plugging into email once a week(ish) and had a weekly call with one member of my team who funneled everyone’s questions and updates. This worked well for us, but I also have friends who completely ignored all work and even had email sent to a folder to maybe never respond, and that worked well for them. You do you!
Create a calendared reference document of tasks and who can help.
Provide a guide, but don’t overthink it. The key is for the team to have a basic understanding of what needs to be done, who’s responsible, and who are other people to ask for help. Review this document with your team and your supervisor to be sure everyone is on the same page. Talk through it - don’t rely on email and a shared doc to do the trick.
Trust your people.
Remember the crazy context of my maternity leaves? Guess what? The world kept turning without me at my desk. The seats were still filled. We still had school. I had to trust my amazing team to keep the wheels turning without my direct supervision. This was a humbling experience for me and an incredibly empowering experience for them. Win-win.
Let it go.
News flash: life is messy and imperfect. This applies especially to both work and parenthood, and yet these are both areas full of control and perfectionism tendencies for many of us. Let. It. Go. When we release ourselves from the grip of self-imposed pressure, we can better enjoy both aspects of our lives.
Allow people to help you.
Just before my first baby was born, I asked a dear friend, colleague, and mom-of-four for any words of wisdom. She simply said, “Let people help you.” That sounded way too simple, but I now know how true it rings. It can be hard to ask for help or to even know what to ask. Lean on your inner circle, your mentors, and your trusted colleagues. Sometimes it just takes talking it out to figure out what you need. This is an ongoing life skill, involving intentionality and practice. I’m getting better at this one, but it definitely remains a work in progress.
Even in the most supportive environment, welcoming a child to the world is a massive transition. It is bumpy. It is imperfect. It is hard. And it is the most worthwhile thing you’ll ever do. Give yourself grace and lean on your people. You got this!
Sam GeislerExecutive Director of Admission and Enrollment
Episcopal School of Jacksonville