Description:
<jats:p> Early childhood center directors need to effectively function in their workplace so that they can provide leadership that supports quality. Their personal and professional well-being may affect how they support other educators. Few studies have investigated work-related well-being from directors’ perspectives. This qualitative study investigated the directors’ common experiences about well-being. Specifically, interpretative phenomenological design was used to explore the directors’ work-related stress, work-related support, and well-being. Four early childhood center directors serving children from low socio-economic backgrounds in Mid-Western State were interviewed individually to understand how they understood work-related well-being, sources of work-related stress, and work-related support. Five themes emerged from the data: understanding of well-being (physical and mental health, salary, relationships, and self-care practice); sources of work-related stress (compassion fatigue, role, and learning); managing work-related stress (self-discipline, mindfulness); sources of support (leadership, staff, self-support, family, and friends); source of inspiration (opportunity and value). Implications include establishing formal support networks, and policy review and provision of resources to effectively support directors from burnout. </jats:p>