I still remember walking into my office one Monday morning and feeling buried under a flood of administrative tasks: reviewing enrollment reports, drafting accreditation updates, scheduling stakeholder meetings, and monitoring ongoing departmental projects. 

As a leader in higher education, I knew that juggling these responsibilities was just part of the job. However, I also knew there had to be more efficient ways to handle them without sacrificing my mental and emotional well-being. 

Below are some digital and analog tools that can help you as a woman leader in higher ed streamline your daily tasks, enhance your leadership impact, and prioritize self-care. 

These are just some ideas. You should try different tools, strategies, apps, and ideas that help you perform and feel your best.

Mentorship and Coaching

Effective leadership often involves continuous learning and support, such as mentorship and coaching with seasoned experts or peer mentors who offer guidance, feedback, and fresh perspectives.

Leadership Advantage: Continuous mentorship refines communication skills, decision-making, and strategic thinking. Peer-led groups or forums also foster meaningful professional connections across different institutions.

Collaboration Hubs for Team Alignment

From faculty committees to cross-department task forces, higher education leaders manage diverse teams across multiple projects. Collaboration hubs or higher education-focused platforms unify team communications in one place.

Leadership Advantage: Quick polls or focused channels encourage participation from those who might otherwise stay silent in large meetings. Integrated project boards ensure you can monitor progress without chasing updates.

Thoughtful Journaling or Reflection

Leadership in academia is challenging. Journaling provides a private space to debrief the day, capture lessons learned, and strategize for the future.

Leadership Advantage: Logging daily wins or challenges boosts self-awareness and reveals patterns in your leadership style. Searching past entries also helps you recall insights you may have forgotten.

If you don’t like old-school journaling, just try your phone notes app or a free tool like Notion.

She Leads & Succeeds™ Executive Planner

Sometimes, pen and paper can offer a refreshing sense of control that software doesn’t. The She Leads & Succeeds™ Executive Planner is designed with women leaders in mind—particularly those in higher education—providing structured layouts for goal-setting, daily task prioritization, and leadership reflections.

Leadership Advantage: Building yearly visions with weekly tasks ensures strategic goals are lost in daily demands. Dedicated self-care prompts encourage leaders to check in on their well-being despite constant pressures.

Online Leadership Courses and Libraries

The best leaders never stop learning. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Harvard ManageMentor, or specialized higher-ed institutes offer short and in-depth courses on strategic planning, financial oversight, and inclusive leadership.

Leadership Advantage: Stay updated on best practices—whether it’s navigating virtual engagement or fostering diversity across your institution. Earn certifications or badges that demonstrate ongoing professional development to boards or committees.

Self-Care Trackers and Wellness Tools

In a profession where work never truly ends, personal well-being can easily slip down the priority list. Wellness apps (such as Calm or Headspace) and simple habit trackers can profoundly affect mental and emotional health.

Leadership Advantage: Regular mindfulness sessions reduce stress and improve clarity for better decision-making. Habit trackers remind you to drink enough water, prioritize sleep, or schedule micro-breaks—ensuring you’re at your best when leading large-scale projects.

Find The Tools For Your Leadership

Each tool tackles a different facet of higher education leadership, whether improving communication, building relationships, planning effectively, or taking care of yourself. 

The goal isn’t to adopt them all at once but to identify the areas where you struggle most—perhaps the constant barrage of emails, a lack of mentorship, or neglecting your self-care—and choose the best tools with your style.

Integrating leadership-focused platforms, a well-thought-out planner, and wellness resources into your routine will create a healthier balance between operational efficiency and personal well-being. 

When you free up mental space and reduce administrative friction, you’re better equipped to inspire your teams, drive innovative programs, and shape the future of higher education with unwavering purpose and clarity.