Let’s face it, teaching can be a difficult job. The daily requirements placed on a teacher can be both mentally and physically stressful. This stress can take a dramatic toll if it is not managed properly. If you plan to be a lifelong educator, it is important to figure out how to manage stress and maintain your well being on a daily basis. As a teacher with twenty-two years of experience, I learned through trial and error how to maintain my peace of mind while I worked in what could be an incredibly stressful work environment.
In this article, we are going to explore some ways to manage the stress of being a teacher and bring some balance and perspective to your life.
10 WAYS TO REDUCE TEACHER STRESS AND BURNOUT
1. PRACTICE SELF-CARE
Self-care is the practice of consciously and purposefully planning and participating in activities that enrich your life. Some examples of self-care are going for a walk in the park, reading a book, taking a long bath, binge-watching your favorite show, or taking a hike.
On the flip side, self-care can also be avoiding those activities that take away from your overall well-being. For example, you can choose not to check emails after a certain time, take a break from social media, or not participate in activities that make you uncomfortable.
2. TAKE A MENTAL HEALTH DAY (PLAY HOOKY)
Stress from work can wreak havoc on you both physically and mentally. That is why it’s important to take a day for yourself. There is no harm in using one of your sick or personal days just to decompress and relax. That’s what those days are for. Plus, if you think your class is going to fall apart because you took a day off, guess again. Everything will be fine once you return. So, just take a day to rest, do some of your favorite things, or hang out with friends. You will be surprised by how taking twenty-four hours for yourself will work wonders on your mental health.
Bonus Tip: Take your day on a Friday or Monday and make it a three-day weekend. It’s a great way to end or start a week.
3. TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH
Teachers are notorious for working themselves to the bone. Even when it puts their own health at risk. Many teachers, especially new ones, feel guilty when they take off from work when they are not well. They will push through even to their own detriment. What these teachers fail to understand is that they are doing nobody any favors by showing up to work sick or in pain. There are no awards for coming to work sick or dying on the job. A sick teacher cannot do his/her best work if they are feeling under the weather. Plus, the toll it takes on your body is not worth it.
Therefore, my advice is to take a sick day, stay home, and get well. See a doctor if necessary. Don’t allow your body to fall apart for the sake of not missing a day of work. Just take care of your health and come back refreshed and renewed. Your body will thank you for it.
4. STAY AWAY FROM WORK DRAMA AND REMAIN PROFESSIONAL
Teaching is a stressful job all by itself. On any given day, you may encounter disagreements, negative gossip, or clashes in personality which can cause you to have a bad day. In order to prevent some of these factors from affecting your day, try to settle issues that may arise amicably and respectfully. If you encounter a problem that you are unable to solve, don’t be afraid to enlist the assistance of a grade level supervisor or administrator to mediate the situation. Finally, try to steer clear of the negative culture, gossip, and cliques as much as possible.
5. ESTABLISH YOUR CLASS ROUTINES, RULES, AND PROCEDURES AND STICK TO IT
Be sure to do this the first month of school until it becomes second nature for both you and your students. Your days will run smoothly and be far less stressful if students know exactly what to expect and it’s reinforced consistently.
6. ESTABLISH A DAILY ROUTINE WHICH WORKS WITH YOUR PERSONALITY
This tip is important because it enables you to keep up with the hundreds of tasks that are required to run a classroom. Having no routine at all will make your job more difficult. So, it is best to come up with a routine to complete various tasks in order to decrease stress.
7. LEARN HOW TO SAY NO
As a teacher, you are constantly being asked to do things above and beyond what is required or in your contract. At times, you feel the pressure to say yes, even when you really don’t want to oblige. That’s why it is necessary to learn how to say NO without feeling guilt or shame. If adding an extra task or activity will add more stress, just say NO. You’ll feel better that you did.
8. LEARN HOW TO SEPARATE WORK LIFE FROM HOME LIFE
Teaching is one of those jobs that seems to never stop, even when you leave the building. Many teachers bring their work home because there isn’t enough time to finish it at work. Unfortunately, this means work never ends and you are constantly in work mode even at home. Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to learn to leave everything at work when the day is over. Home should be your sanctuary, not an extension of your work life.
In order to separate your work life from your home life, create a routine at work that will allow you to complete all of the necessary tasks that are needed for the next day and leave without carrying all of your papers or lessons home. That way, you can clear your mind and relax at home.
9. LEARN WHEN TO GO HOME
Many teachers go into work early or stay late in order to get their work done because there just isn’t enough time in the day to get it done. Sometimes, this is inevitable because it’s just the nature of the job. However, you must learn how to say, “Time is up” and go home. My advice is to decide which tasks must be done before you leave, set a time to leave, and stick to it. Otherwise, you will never be able to decompress from the job.
10. PLAN AHEAD AND COMPLETE SOME TASKS IN ADVANCE
Staying a few days or weeks ahead of yourself is a good way to eliminate stress. Try to lesson plan, copy papers, gather materials, enter grades, or update websites days in advance in order to feel well prepared for your lessons and activities. Doing things at the last minute does nothing but create stress, worry, and panic. So, do yourself a favor, get things done ahead of time. You won’t regret it.
In closing, teaching can be both rewarding and exhausting at the same time. However, if you practice self-care, leave work in a timely manner, plan ahead, and learn to say no when necessary, you can maintain your peace of mind and have a successful career in education.
Now take a moment to do a self-check. What are some things about teaching that stress you out? What techniques from this article can you start using that will help you lower your stress levels? Make a mental or physical list and start making changes right away because your inner peace is all that matters.
BONUS: For more educational tips and tricks for teachers and parents, check out my other website The Modern Schoolmarm.
