Summer Is for Sharpening the Saw: Preparing for What's Next

One of my favorite concepts from Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw.

The idea is simple but powerful: if you spend all your time cutting down trees and never stop to sharpen the saw, eventually your effectiveness declines. The most effective people intentionally take time to rest, reflect, learn, and improve so they can perform better in the future.

As summer arrives, I often find myself reflecting on this principle—not only in business, but also in the incredible work happening inside our schools.

For educators and school staff, summer is much more than a break from the school year. It is an opportunity to sharpen the saw.

The School Year Is a Marathon

Anyone who has spent time in schools knows the pace is relentless.

Teachers, administrators, media specialists, counselors, support staff, and countless others spend months pouring their energy into students. They solve problems, support families, manage unexpected challenges, and often put the needs of others ahead of their own.

By the time May and June arrive, many educators are simply exhausted.

And that's understandable.

The school year is not a sprint. It's a marathon.

Summer provides a rare opportunity to step back, catch your breath, and recharge physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is rest.

Quadrant 2: The Work That Prevents Future Problems

Another lesson from Covey that has always resonated with me is the concept of the Time Management Matrix.

Many of us spend too much time in Quadrant 1 - urgent and important activities. We react to problems, deadlines, emergencies, and immediate needs.

Schools live in Quadrant 1 throughout much of the school year.

Summer creates an opportunity to spend more time in Quadrant 2—the activities that are important but not urgent.

These are the things that improve future effectiveness:

• Planning
• Professional development
• Improving systems
• Organizing resources
• Strengthening communication
• Learning new skills
• Evaluating what worked and what didn't

Quadrant 2 work often gets pushed aside during the school year because there simply isn't enough time.

Summer creates space to focus on these important improvements before the next year begins.

Reflection Creates Growth

One of the most valuable questions we can ask ourselves is:

What worked well this year?

The second question may be even more important:

What could we do differently next year?

Schools that take time to reflect often discover opportunities to improve:

• Communication with parents
• Student recognition programs
• Staff workflows
• Visual learning strategies
• School culture initiatives
• Technology adoption
• Operational efficiency

Small improvements made during the summer can have a significant impact throughout the following school year.

A Reflection on Perfect School Tools

As I reflect on summer and the idea of sharpening the saw, I think about the journey that led to Perfect School Tools.

Over the past decade, I've had the opportunity to spend countless hours inside schools. I've listened to educators, observed challenges, celebrated successes, and learned what truly matters.

What I've discovered is that schools don't need more complexity.

They need solutions that save time.

They need tools that are easy to adopt.

They need systems that help staff focus more on students and less on unnecessary frustrations.

Those experiences shaped the mission that guides everything we do:

"We serve those who serve our students."

That mission isn't just about products. It's about helping schools become more effective, efficient, and successful in the work they already do so well.

Summer Is a Time to Improve Systems

Many schools use the summer months to evaluate questions like:

• How can we communicate more effectively?
• How can we recognize students more consistently?
• How can we reduce staff stress?
• How can we save money?
• How can we make next year easier?

These are important questions because the answers often create lasting benefits throughout the year.

Whether it's improving communication, simplifying repetitive tasks, strengthening school culture, or creating more engaging learning environments, summer provides an opportunity to build systems that support success.

Rest Is Productive Too

Perhaps the most important part of sharpening the saw is recognizing that rest is not wasted time.

In a culture that often celebrates constant activity, it can be easy to feel guilty about slowing down.

But renewal matters.

Time with family matters.

Health matters.

Reflection matters.

The best leaders, educators, and organizations understand that sustainable success requires periods of recovery and renewal.

Sometimes the saw gets sharper when we simply put it down for a while.

Looking Ahead

As another school year comes to a close, my hope for every educator and school staff member is simple:

Take time to recharge.

Take time to reflect.

Take time to learn.

Take time to prepare.

And most importantly, take time to celebrate the incredible difference you've made in the lives of students this year.

The work you do matters.

At Perfect School Tools, we remain committed to supporting schools in any way we can as you prepare for another successful year ahead.

Because when schools become more effective, students benefit.

And that's something worth sharpening the saw for.

School Made Easier.

Gary Nickol

CEO 

Perfect School Tools