What Mistakes Did I Make As A Middle School Principal?

As I finish my fourth and final year as a middle school principal (at least for the near future), I've been pondering how God has used me and what I could have done better. If I had a do-over, these are three things I would do differently:

1. Not Respond To Emails So Quickly - If you wait to answer emails, you can often provide better answers or an answer may not even be needed because the matter gets resolved.

2. Not Accept So Many Unscheduled Meetings - Telling a person that you don't have a minute and scheduling a meeting with that person can enable you to have a better meeting and be more productive.

3. Not Place Work Responsibilities Ahead of Family Time - Who is more important: your colleagues or your family? Too often we bring our work to home when in many cases it needs to stay at work. Don't blur the lines.

I made a ton more mistakes than what I mentioned above, and I certainly continue to mess up, but I'm extremely thankful to work in a great community of believers and to have such a patient and gracious family. More importantly, I'm thankful for the merciful Father who never gives up on me, the Spirit who works in me, and for the Son who said, "It is finished."