This time last year, I was wondering if I was really cut out to be a teacher. It was my 6th year and I was suffering from teacher burnout. How many of you have been there? I think we probably have all been there at some point in our careers..What I have learned though is that I needed to do more for myself so that those feelings of being burned out were few and far between. I have been so much less stressed this year and have found my love for teaching all over again. I decided that I can't keep these tips to avoid a secret any longer! So here we go..

Tip #1: Self-care

This can be anything you enjoy. It doesn't mean that you have to go out and spend money getting a massage, having your nails done or taking a vacation. It can be as simple as starting a morning routine where you spend time focusing on just you and how great your day is going to be. Write down some affirmations about your goals and where you want to see yourself. Take a bath, read a book or go for a run. Do something just for you! Teachers who take care of themselves don't burnout..

Tip #2: Find Your People

Find your people can seem cliche or daunting but honestly in our world, we are not just limited to the people in our geographical area. Find online groups of teachers that inspire you to be your best everyday. Teaching is not a job you can do all by yourself, well you can but I have found that it's much more enjoyable when you have friends along for the ride! Instagram is FULL of teachers who are there to help you find your way as a teacher, person and to be your mentors. Check them out! Having great mentors available at the scroll of your IG feed can definitely cut down on teacher burnout.

Tip #3: Compartmentalize

This can also be a really difficult task to master but it's so worth it! Compartmentalizing means that you can isolate the issue, stress or feelings from the other issues, stresses or feelings you are dealing with. Compartmentalize it. Isolate the issue from all the other challenges you are dealing with.

I have 3 tips for how to accomplish this:

  1. Don't waste time complaining- If you have time to complain about it, you have time to fix it. The more you complain about it, the more you fixate on it. Don't give your stress the chance to take over your thoughts.
  2. Stop multi-tasking- This one was so hard for me. I constantly felt like I needed to be doing a thousand things or I wasn't being productive. The truth is that all it was doing was making me more stressed and more burned out. My thoughts were all over the place but by giving each task a compartment in my brain, I have been able to eliminate a lot of those overwhelmed feelings.
  3. Manage distractions- I am the queen of being distracted when I don't really want to do something. Start scheduling your to-do list instead of just having an ever growing list.. This helps your brain process what it actually needs to be doing and gives your tasks some urgency.

Tip #4: Seek Opportunities for Growth as a Teacher

Go to a conference, watch a webinar, read a book or just have conversations with teachers who inspire you. After I have been to a teaching conference, I always come back so renewed and refreshed! I come back with new ideas or a better understanding of something and it makes me excited to be in my classroom again. We teach our students to have a growth mindset and hope that we are instilling a life long love of learning but often as teachers, we don't do the same for ourselves.

Tip #5: Keep in Touch with Past Students

This can be difficult and there is no way you can stay in touch with all of them but pick a few each year that you're going to keep in touch with. I have a student that I taught during student teaching that I still follow on Instagram and Facebook- He's in high school now and I teach in a different district but he is making such a difference in people's lives. He is chasing his dreams of being a musician and is quickly becoming an up and coming Christian singer/artist. Seeing how amazing he is doing and the great messages that he spreads in his posts and in his music makes me smile every time.

Staying in touch with past students keeps me grounded and shows me exactly why I do what I do each and every day. These kids are the future of our world and they are going to do amazing things. It's hard to suffer from teacher burnout when you're constantly reminded of the difference you are making in your students' lives.

Tip #6: Be Positive

Positivity can be hard to find in some schools- I know because I have been there. If it's not always present in your district or building, you have to find a way to create it. Chances are, you're not the only one struggling because of the lack of it. Only you can make the choice to have a positive attitude. Start a gratitude journal and write something down each day that you're thankful for about your co-workers, students', school, etc.

Tip #7: Find a Safe Person to Vent to..

I know this seems contradictory to my previous statement of not complaining but I'm also realistic. There comes a point where you have to talk to someone about everything that's going on. I think there is a big difference between complaining and venting- complaining means you're telling everyone what the issue is. Venting is when you find that one person that you can go to, lay it all out there and walk away without being judged. This can be a teaching partner, friend, family member or spouse. Whoever it is, find them and keep them!

Tip #8: Say NO!

It took me a long time to learn this lesson and I learned it the hard way. It is okay to say no. If it's not contractual, you can say no and sometimes you have to for your own sanity. Saying yes to everything will only cause your teacher burnout to heighten. I think it's hard-wired in my DNA to say yes to everything. It's mainly because I don't like to disappoint people. Can I tell you how much less stress I have felt when I started making decisions for myself and not out of obligation?! It has been amazing and you need to do it. Don't let guilt lead you to saying yes- you will only grow to resent your decision.

Tip #9: Create a Schedule

I mentioned this a little bit before-I literally schedule out my entire day. I don't necessarily put what time I am doing everything but if there is a task that I want done, I schedule it. In my planner I have a spot for home, self and work. I list out the things I need to accomplish each day for each of those areas. If I need to do a load of laundry, it gets written down. Or if I need to knock out a blog post or work on a product, it gets written down. If I plan to workout that day, I write it down.

I have become much more intentional with my time by doing this and in turn have become less stressed. I don't feel like my “to do” list is just continuing to grow any more. It has become much more manageable. It also helps my brain see what needs to be done and gives the task some urgency.

Tip #10: Stay Organized

This goes right along with Tip #9. The more organized you are, the more your brain can stay focused and know what it needs think about. I feel so much better when I feel like I have my life together. Your classroom should be that way. Not only is staying organized an asset for you but it's essential for your students. Think of how much more you would have to give your students if you were organized? Don't get me wrong, there are always days where our organizational skills are lacking and that's ok. It's going to happen. But you have to make it a priority to be organized.

I hope these tips will help you renew your love for teaching, stay sane and be the best teacher you can be! Leave me a comment with what you do to help you avoid teacher burnout. I would love to hear from you!

Be sure to check out Self-Care for Teachers on a Budget to find more ways to avoid teacher burnout.