Women
Leaders:
Why we’re
stressed and
how we can
manage it
by Monica Peterson
Research by Monica Peterson (2017), found that Califor-
nia female superintendents use a variety of strategies to
address personal factors creating stress in their lives,
including;
• Healthy life choices and regular exercise- Female super-
intendents interviewed in this study found ways to incor-
porate exercise into their daily routines, whether at work
or scheduled time outside of work. Some women hired a
physical trainer or used a standing desk at work. Other
women believed that making a conscious effort to eat
nutritious meals was a form a self-care and an important
part of their stress relief. Simple habits such as walking up
an extra flight of stairs at work, stepping away for lunch to
increase awareness of what is being consumed, partici-
pating in walking meetings, and working out on a regular
basis were suggested in the study.
Tip: Smart watches such as the Apple iWatch contain
accountability apps to help you stay moving, limit sitting,
and encourage you to be mindful throughout the day.
• Making Time for Loved Ones- Tending to personal rela-
22
Leadership
tionships was a stress relieving measure experienced by
half of the participants in the study. One participant found
relief in spending time with her grandchildren, “We have
four grandchildren, and they are probably the pinnacle
of stress relief for me that I can imagine… Making time
for family. I mean listening, and making time”. Another
participant shared that even with her busy schedule as a
superintendent, she was “able to commit more to family
time,” she explained that this was due to being “more in
charge of your world” as a high level administrator.
Tip: Create weekly family traditions such as Friday movie
nights to look forward to and hold sacred.
• Clear Separation between Work and Home- Female
superintendents expressed that being able to separate
work and home life serves as an important strategy to
manage stress. One superintendent shared, “... when I
leave work, I leave it here… I know it’s not so clean cut,
but I make every effort to do that. Because of that, my
stress levels have been manageable”. One superinten-
dent indicated that more hours does not necessarily