Today we’re going to talk about how to overcome teacher burnout and stress.
Stress, if not dealt with, leads to anxiety and eventually burnout. Burnout tends to appear at some point during a teacher’s career. It’s not a matter of it but when. Many teachers will experience it within the first five years of teaching and the rest of us will experience it later.
This could be because there’s a lack of support from administration, far too much added to the workload, having to deal with people or issues that are outside our control and so much more.
Is this a hopeless case then? Should we throw in the towel and give up? Oh heck no!
Can we prevent it for as long as possible? Absolutely!
Let’s look at 4 things we can implement right away to see immediate results.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Love Your Boundaries.
I’ve said this multiple times before. Make sure you set clear boundaries and stick to them. Don’t let an upset parent or friend take you away from what you need to do for yourself. Everyone, unless it’s an emergency or you have an important meeting scheduled, can and should wait. Remember, their lives won’t end because you got back to them the following day, but your mental health will deteriorate over time if you don’t put yourself first.
If you’d like more information about how to take action right away check out “How to Set Boundaries as a Teacher to Enjoy Work Life Balance.”
#2. Use Your Voice.
So many teachers feel that they have no voice outside of their classroom. They don’t feel heard by parents or administrators. If this is the case, then try and try again. If you’re still not being heard, go further up the chain and find someone who will listen to you. If you can’t find someone, then my friend, it might be time to start looking for a new job. I’m not telling you to leave your current position right away because I’m sure you have bills to pay. Look for another position while you’re still at your current job and make the switch when you can.
Feeling like and knowing that you’ve been heard will take a weight off your shoulders because it will allow you to know that you’re not on your own.
#3. Create a Plan.
Planning the night before for class may work in the short-term but will not sustain you in the long-run. It’ll feel like you’re on a treadmill that never stops because you’ll only ever have time for your job. I used to do it and it was exhausting.
I’ve now been looking ahead and only making changes as needed the day before because I need the downtime after work. If you’d like support with this, I’ve created a FREE masterclass that will walk you through this process in a step-by-step format with templates that will be provided for you. For more information, check out Systematic Plan to Super Passionate.
#4. Find Your Passion
For the longest time, when someone asked me what my passion was, I used to say teaching. Now I can say singing, reading, creating, writing articles and so much more.
Having something that you can do beyond the scope of your career will give you something to look forward to. It will help you destress and make creating and setting boundaries so much more fruitful. For more actionable steps about finding your passion, visit Finding Your Passion in Life.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
1. Why teachers experience stress and burnout
2. Four actionable steps to avoid burnout: love your boundaries, use your voice, create a plan and find your passion.
Additional Thoughts:
If you’re at the stage where you’re feeling burned out, please know that you aren’t alone. Don’t let this feeling defeat you. Put these strategies into action, find support or an accountability partner and know that you can get out from under this feeling in time. If you’d like some support, join my FREE community, Empowered in Intermediate: For Teachers and Homeschooling Parents.
In the mean time, if you’re still feeling stressed out, overwhelmed and burnout, then I encourage you to check out the following:
Next Steps:
I’d love to hear from you. Reflect and answer the following question:
If you’d like additional resources for your classroom here are the three ways you can access them: 1) Free Resource Library; 2) At my store; 3) Systematic Plan to Super Passionate; 4) The Colourful Teaching Club.
If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favour? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!
I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
