Y2. Give Yourself Permission toolkit
Toolkit
Leadership will always ask for more: more time, more energy, more attention. The discipline is not in doing more, but in knowing when to stop. This toolkit helps you reflect on the boundaries you set, the guilt you carry, and the culture you model, so that rest becomes part of how you lead, not something you apologise for.
| Name the pressure |
| Write down what drives your overwork. Is it guilt, fear of judgment, or habit? Identifying the emotion behind the behaviour helps you start to loosen its hold. |
| Write your permission slip |
| Complete this sentence: “I give myself permission to…” Perhaps to leave on time, take a walk, say no, or rest without guilt. Keep it visible as a reminder that rest is an act of leadership, not indulgence. |
| Define what’s enough |
| Perfectionism drains energy. Decide what “good enough” looks like in your role this week. Doing so creates mental space for reflection, creativity, and recovery. |
| Create recovery rituals |
| Establish small routines that signal the shift from work to rest. Turn off notifications, shut your laptop, or change clothes as a physical cue that your working day is done. |
| Model it out loud |
| Tell your team what you’re doing, not to boast, but to normalise balance. “I’m heading home to spend time with my family” is powerful modelling that gives others permission to do the same. |
| Reflect without guilt |
| At the end of the week, look back. When did you rest well? When did guilt creep in? What difference did it make to your energy, clarity, and relationships? |
| Reflection prompts |
| What am I afraid might happen if I stop? Where does my sense of guilt come from? How often do I confuse effort with impact? How would my leadership change if I rested without apology? |
Y2. Give Yourself Permission: example toolkit
Role: Deputy Headteacher
| Name the pressure |
| My drivers are guilt, fear of judgement, and a habit of saying yes. Writing them down shows they are emotional, not rational. |
| Write your permission slip |
| I will keep a note on my desk: I give myself permission to rest, to leave on time twice a week, and to protect Sunday as a family day. I will share this idea so others try it too. |
| Define what’s enough |
| A good enough week means key meetings attended, feedback within timeframes, and one high-impact coaching conversation completed. I will focus on the most important things done well. |
| Create recovery rituals |
| At 6pm I tidy my desk, close the laptop, change clothes, and listen to something non-school on the drive home. My phone stays silent until after dinner. |
| Model it out loud |
| I will say, I am heading home to recharge so I am ready for tomorrow. This normalises balance and helps reduce late-night emails. |
| Reflect without guilt |
| I will journal weekly. Rest improves my judgment and tone. I will keep practicing until the guilt fades. |
| Intended Impact |
| Within weeks my energy, clarity, and relationships improve, and I help shift culture toward sustainability. |