Principals around the world are in crisis. There is a looming shortage of people who want to take up the role, and principals deal with heightened emotions each day–both their own and those of others. The work of school leaders is emotionally intense, and the intense nature of their work has direct consequences for principals’ health and well-being and their own personal relationships. This paper presents a scoping review into aspects of leaders’ labor which are often undervalued or overlooked–those that are grounded in emotions, relationships, and ethics of care. It explores the literature across four key themes: emotions and emotional labor, relationships, health and well-being, and care. The emotional intensity of principals’ work is evident across these themes, and the paper highlights the importance of focusing on these elements of principals’ work into the future.