Les adjoints de direction scolaire aux prises avec le temps : vers une grammaire des temporalités au travail

A meaningful, rare, and precious resource, the time of managerial staff is subject to choices of allocation and retention. It is also a tool of power. This text outlines the contours of a «grammar of temporalities» that interweaves the perception of time with the nature and meaning of professional activity—particularly in relation to the unique role played by deputy head teachers, who act as the «second in command». The analysis reveals the full complexity of the temporal experiences of these deputy head teachers, caught between visible times (operational, institutional, strategic) and invisible ones (informal, relational). It highlights how they navigate between voluntary commitment and endured overload, often at the expense of their personal work-life balance. Two lines of reflection emerge. For the deputies themselves, the need to reflect upon and assign meaning to all forms of their working time. For organizations and headteachers, the value of creating moments of vacantia—intentional pauses—dedicated to reflection, renewal, dialogue, and human connection.