The Ethics of School Principals’ Self-Care Practices

Author : Lila Alhashim

Abstract : Prior studies indicate that principals face unprecedented pressures that negatively affect both personal well-being and school outcomes. Consequently, this research focuses on the ethics of school principals’ self-care. The study explores how principals apply self-care and why they engage in these practices, using moral development theory, attachment theory, and Bossert’s model as the theoretical framework. The findings highlight a range of self-care strategies that help reduce principals’ stress, including managing time, building relationships, using humor and changing routines, caring for physical health, taking vacations, and maintaining healthy sleep habits. The results also show that principals practice self-care for the benefit of the school district, to be viewed positively by society, or for their own well-being with the support of the school community. Data for this study were drawn from school principals’ professional experiences and from my participation in leadership sessions and classes.

Keywords : School Principals, Self-Care Ethics, Educational Leadership, Principal Well-Being, Stress Management, Moral Development Theory, School Leadership Practices

Conference Name : International Conference on Curriculum Development and Pedagogical Strategies (ICCDPS - 26)

Conference Place : Nagoya, Japan

Conference Date : 2nd Jan 2026