243. The Mindset Shift Every ECE Leader Needs to Avoid Burnout

As the school year gains momentum, it's easy for school leaders to fall into survival mode—abandoning the very rhythms that anchor sustainable growth, effective school operations, and confident leadership. In this episode of the Schools of Excellence Podcast, Chanie Wilschanski breaks down the essential distinction between anchors and enhancers, and why understanding this difference is critical for school directors managing high-pressure seasons.

If you're facing a surge in enrollment, onboarding new staff, or navigating leadership fatigue, this episode will help you identify the systems, habits, and non-negotiables that protect your energy and peace of mind. Because running a private school, preschool, or early childhood center shouldn’t mean always putting out fires—it means leading with intentionality, clarity, and control.

What You’ll Learn

• The difference between anchors and enhancers—and why both matter for sustainable school leadership
• How to identify the leadership habits that protect you from burnout, second-guessing, and resentment
• The hidden cost of abandoning your routines during busy seasons
• Why survival mode becomes the default when systems are missing
• A simple way to assess where your school needs operational focus

Key Insights

1. Anchors create stability during chaos

Anchors are the daily habits that ground you emotionally and mentally. For overwhelmed directors, these aren’t luxuries—they’re leadership tools. Anchors may look like prayer, walking, journaling, or quiet reflection. When the pressure is high, these are the habits that keep you rooted and resilient.

2. Enhancers elevate—but they don’t stabilize

Massages, time with friends, or a night out can be wonderful enhancers, but they can’t replace the foundational habits that regulate your mindset and sustain your ability to lead. Enhancers help you feel good, but they don’t create consistency.

3. Abandoning anchors leads to burnout

When school leaders drop their anchors in exchange for hustle, the cost is high. Leadership becomes reactive. Decision fatigue sets in. You feel stuck, anxious, and resentful. Rebuilding your rhythms later will require far more energy than simply preserving them now.

4. Your anchors are unique to you

Chanie shares her personal anchors—prayer, walking, and meditation—and encourages leaders to identify their own. The true test? If you still do it when you're sick, traveling, or exhausted, it’s likely an anchor.

5. Systems—not hustle—drive confident leadership

Real school leadership isn't about working harder. It's about installing rhythms and school systems that do the heavy lifting. When you lead from systems, not from stress, you create time freedom, better team accountability, and long-term sustainability.

Memorable Quotes

"When you stop doing your anchors, survival becomes a habit—and it’s harder to come back from." – Chanie Wilschanski

"Anchors aren’t nice-to-haves. They’re lifelines."

"Leadership is about alignment, not exhaustion."

Try This: 3 Steps to Identify Your Anchors

Step 1: Look at your stress habits

What do you continue doing when you’re sick, overextended, or traveling? That’s likely an anchor.

Step 2: List your daily wellness practices

Then separate anchors from enhancers. Anchors are essential and stabilizing. Enhancers are supportive, but optional.

Step 3: Choose one anchor to protect this season

Commit to it fully. That single action can create the clarity and consistency you need to lead well this fall.

Why It Matters for School Leaders

• Reduces burnout, resentment, and emotional exhaustion in high-pressure seasons
• Helps you