with these 5 tips…
I get asked a lot about what tips I have for teachers who are facing burnout. How do you possibly overcome teacher burnout once it starts? It seems like such a daunting task. I’m here to tell you that it is possible and I know that because I’ve done it! There were days, months and even an entire year where I thought my only option was to leave the profession. The truth was that I just needed to develop some new skills to combat the symptoms of burnout that I was facing. Here are my top 5 tips for overcoming burnout.
Tips to Overcome Teacher Burnout
1. Scheduling- Creating the perfect schedule is one of the first tasks I try to do at the beginning of each new year. I look at the flow of our lessons, parts of our schedule that are non-negotiable and what transitions are best for my students. This got me thinking. If I spend so much time perfecting my schedule for my students, why don’t I create a schedule for myself? That’s when I started scheduling my tasks for my planning periods. It has helped guide me to be more effective and allows me to leave school at school. My family has never been so happy! This was the first step I took in my battle to overcome teacher burnout and I'm so happy that I did!
I have also started scheduling other portions of my life. I have tried a number of planners, but none of them fit the needs of ALL areas I was wanting to schedule. If you're interested in seeing what I developed and use, you can find it here.
It starts with you…
2. Routines– Creating the perfect schedule is one of the first tasks I try to do at the beginning of each new school year. I look at the flow of our lessons, parts of our schedule that are non-negotiable and what’s transitions are best for my students. It got me thinking, if I spend so much time perfecting my schedule for my students, why don’t I create a schedule for myself? That’s when I started scheduling my tasks for my planning times. It has helped guide me to be more effective and allows me to leave school at school. My family has never been so happy!
Create Routines at home as well, think of things that will help you start your day on the right foot and end your day on a great note. They will set the tone and help keep a positive attitude throughout the day. If you are looking for a resource to help you create your routines and stay accountable for them, here is a resource to help.
Don't just survive teacher burnout…
3. Mindset and Mindfulness- Having the right mindset can make all the difference. If you approach each day thinking the worst of it, that’s exactly what it’s going to feel like. I know there are times that will be unhappy and downright heartbreaking as a teacher BUT having strategies to come back from those times is key.
Mindfulness techniques can definitely be a strategy that helps you with your mindset and overcoming teacher burnout. Be present, practice mindful breathing and try not to rush through your lessons just to get them done. Lessons are much more effective if you take the time to make them go smoothly. Sometimes, I even pull up a great Go Noodle mindfulness activity and we do it together as a class. I think it’s important to have my students practice the same skills I am now trying to learn as an adult.
Strategies to beat teacher burnout…
4. Boundaries- This is probably one of the hardest things for teachers to do. I used to think that the teachers I worked with that had boundaries were less effective teachers or didn’t care about their students as much as teachers who put in hours upon hours of extra time at school. Guess what? They are actually some of the most effective teachers I know! AND they care just as much about their students as any other teachers I know. These teachers just know how to set boundaries and manage their time at school so they can stick to those boundaries.
5. Control- There are SO many things in teaching that seem like they are out of our control. It’s easy to place blame on other for the way things are going or for our feelings. I urge you to make a list of the things you have control over and a list of things you can’t control. This will help you see what areas of teaching you can change in order to make your year a happier and less stressful place.
Don't be a teacher burnout statistic…
If you are having symptoms of burnout or find yourself wanting to leave the classroom, these tips are a great place to start. If you are looking for more resources to help you, check out my Guide for Fighting Teacher Burnout. It will help you stay committed to the profession AND help you manage the stress that comes with teaching.