Although it may seem somewhat premature to be thinking about the end of the school year, the reality is it is just a few months away and as the school year draws to a close, elementary school principals often describe the experience as “landing one plane while preparing another for takeoff.” Through the lens of Stuart Shanker’s Self-Reg framework, this metaphor captures the complex interplay of stress, energy, and regulation required during perhaps the busiest times of the year.

“Landing the plane” involves bringing the current school year to a successful conclusion. This includes final report cards, staffing conversations, student transitions, year-end meetings, graduation ceremonies, and supporting students whose stress may be heightened by change. At the same time, principals are helping staff manage their own depletion after months of sustained effort. From a Self-Reg perspective, this is a period of significant biological and emotional load—fatigue, heightened expectations, and time pressure all converge.

Simultaneously, principals are “preparing for takeoff.” This forward-looking work includes building next year’s hiring and placing staff, organizing classrooms, and planning professional learning aligned with board and ministry priorities. It requires creativity, optimism, and strategic thinking—capacities that are harder to access when stress is high.

The genius of the Self-Reg framework is that it reminds us that these are not simply time-management or priority challenges; they are regulation challenges. When stress accumulates, our ability to think clearly, collaborate effectively, and make sound decisions is compromised.

As a principal myself, applying Self-Reg has led to a better understanding of my energy and tension levels.  I see myself purposefully reducing unnecessary stressors where possible, reframing expectations, and building moments of restoration into my day. It might look like spacing out meetings, protecting short blocks of uninterrupted planning time, or simply acknowledging to staff that this dual demand is inherently taxing.  It does however provide me with the opportunity to model intentional self-regulating.

In the end, successfully “landing and taking off” is not about doing more, faster. It’s about understanding the conditions under which we function best. Through a Self-Reg lens, the goal is not perfection, but sustainable energy—ensuring that both planes arrive and depart safely, with everyone on board supported along the way.

Cognitive Dynamics can help improve your personal and workplace stress thereby managing the busy, so we don’t become a bystander.