Want a Flourishing School Culture? Don’t Do This at 5pm
Written by Andrew Murray, former Principal and Director, Lumina Consulting
It’s 5:00 pm on a Friday. The school is quiet. Students are gone. Staff are wrapping up a long week. You’re finally about to shut your laptop, breathe out, and head into the weekend.
Then it arrives. An email. Not a thank-you. Not a check-in. It’s a task, a problem, or a pointed question. And while it might not say it’s urgent, the message is clear: someone wants something, and now it’s on your mind. I call it the 5pm email. And I think it’s doing more damage to school culture than we realise.
I first noticed this during COVID. Everyone was stretched. Leaders were making decisions on the fly. Sending a late email felt necessary at the time. But something strange happened. The habit stuck. Now, long after lockdowns, I still see it regularly. And I’m not sure we’ve stopped to ask why. More importantly, I’m not sure we’ve thought about the cost.
Sending an email at 5pm on a Friday might feel efficient. You’ve got it off your desk. But often, you’ve just moved the pressure onto someone else. You’ve passed your stress to a colleague who’s trying to start their weekend. And that doesn’t support well-being. It creates anxiety. It keeps people in work mode when they should be switching off. It makes the inbox feel like it’s never really closed.
In schools, that matters. These are people who’ve already given everything all week. They don’t need extra weight at the finish line. And if we care about flourishing—for our teams, for our students, for ourselves—then these moments need more attention.
Let’s be honest. Most of us don’t send these emails to be difficult. We’re tired too. We’re trying to stay on top of everything. It feels good to tick something off. But if we’re building cultures where people can flourish—not just survive—we need to rethink how we communicate. Not just what we say, but when we say it.
Before sending a late-day email, especially on a Friday, pause and ask yourself:
Is this urgent, or just on my mind?
Could it wait until Monday?
Would I want to receive this now if I were them?
We’ve got simple tools that can help. Schedule send in Gmail or Outlook. Save it as a draft. Or better yet, bring it up in person on Monday when there’s more space for a proper conversation.
Well-being in schools doesn’t come from big programmes or slogans. It comes from how we treat each other, day in and day out. It’s built in the way we communicate, the respect we show for people’s time, and the space we allow for real rest.
These everyday choices build trust. They lower the risk of burnout. And they help people stick around.
So next time you’re about to press send at 5pm, especially on a Friday, ask yourself:
Is this going to help them flourish—or just start their weekend with a sinking feeling?
Sometimes leadership means holding the email and letting someone rest.
Great school cultures aren’t just built during school hours. They’re built in the quiet decisions we make after 5pm. Have a great week.
If you’re ready to explore the concept of flourishing and overcoming burnout—for yourself, your team, or your school—I’d love you to join me at the Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools Conference. I’ll be sharing practical tools and reflections to help you lead with intention, protect your energy, and create a workplace where people feel safe to thrive.
Please feel free to send me a message—I'd love to have a chat with you.
📍 Brisbane: 31 July - 1 August 2025 | Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
📍 Melbourne: 28 - 29 August 2025 | Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre