Early in my career, I equated productivity with purpose. I filled my days with checklists, reports, updates, and projects that I was certain were essential. I stayed late, color-coded spreadsheets, refined summaries, and double-checked details long after everyone else had moved on to the next thing. I told myself I was being thorough and responsible—until I realized I was exhausted and no one seemed to notice much of what I was doing.
At some point, I had to ask a difficult question: Who is this work really for?
I realized that a surprising amount of what filled my time mattered deeply to me—but not to anyone else. Some of it was busywork disguised as preparation. Some were “good ideas” that didn’t really move the needle for the district. And some were tasks I kept doing simply because I always had. None of them were bad things, but they weren’t the right things.
So, I tried something new. I started quietly cutting. I stopped producing a few reports that weren’t being used. I delayed projects that didn’t align with strategic goals. I trimmed recurring updates and summaries that no one had asked about in months. And then I waited.
Nothing happened.
No one called. No one asked where the reports went. No one noticed the missing updates. What did happen, though, was far more important: I started getting time back. Time to think strategically, time to lead intentionally, and time to focus on the work that truly mattered—to the district, to the students, and to me.
That experience reshaped how I view leadership productivity.
It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most.
As leaders, we often take on invisible work because it feels responsible or because it’s always been done. But unexamined effort can become a barrier to meaningful progress.
Now, when my to-do list starts to overflow, I pause and ask:
- Who is this for?
- What impact will it have?
- What would happen if I stopped doing it?
The truth is, letting go isn’t laziness—it’s leadership. Strategic focus takes more discipline than overwork ever will. It requires trusting yourself and your team enough to release what no longer serves the mission.
I’ve long since forgotten most of those abandoned tasks and reports, which tells me everything I need to know about their impact. The work that matters doesn’t fade from memory—it shapes it.