this year better than the last and most likely, you are running on adrenaline with the craziness of school start-up. But what about when things go wrong? Or things slow down and you find yourself in a slump? Where does your motivation and determination go? It is easy to be hard on yourself when you feel overwhelmed or even uninspired; I like to call this the “Post Start-Up Blues”. We get ready to rip off the back-to-school bandaid, but whether we are putting out never ending fires, or things have settled so smoothly that we almost don’t know what to do with ourselves, the excitement of start- up starts to wear off. When this happens, give yourself the grace to feel
up the school year, but these tips can be applied throughout the year as we go through the many phases of a school year. It is easy to put all of our energy and thought into the beginning of the year, but what about the mid-year slump? Or racing to the end of the school year? We all can do a better job of checking in with ourselves and our team to prevent burnout or stagnation in our programs. Best of luck to all of the amazing school nutrition professionals tackling the 2023-2024 school year like the champions that they are!
less than optimal. Embrace that this feeling and time is temporary and that the world of school nutrition will always be an up- and-down roller coaster. When it is crazy busy, we long for the slow days, but when it’s continuously slow, we feel out of place and unsettled. Just remember, the grass isn’t always greener and embrace both the busy and slow times! Many, if not all, of those reading this have most likely already opened
Stefanie Giannini, founder of IVATI, is a speaker, educator, and content creator on a mission to inspire and cultivate every individual’s identity and development as a leader; she holds a fierce passion for personal and professional growth, critical reflection, and building quality relationships. Stefanie holds a Bachelor’s in Food & Nutrition Management from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership and Learning from George Washington University. In addition to her work with IVATI, she works in the school nutrition industry as the Director of Food & Nutrition Services for a K-8 school district in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. IVATI, Founder; Director of Food & Nutrition Services (IL) Stefanie Giannini, MA, SNS
Powered by FlippingBook