How to avoid teacher burnout [2 min read]

Teaching is an incredibly stressful job, and burnout is far too common. I know this as I burnt out myself in 2016, and left the classroom for good in 2017. I have spent many years working on being aware of when I might be starting to feel burnt out again, and have tried and tested a number of different ways to avoid it.

If you think you might be sensing burnout on the horizon, why not try one of my three top tips to help you feel more settled and in control?

They are all very easy and don't take much time - hopefully you know by now that I never want to tell you to do things that are going to take ages and add to your already packed schedules.

1. Move - preferably outside. Getting outside to do some exercise, even just a 10-minute walk, does wonders for my mental health and wellbeing. Morning sunlight (even on a cloudy day!) is particularly beneficial as it helps reset your body clock and promotes good sleep.

2. Breathe. It sounds obvious, but taking even one minute to focus on your breath is amazing for regulating your nervous system. Breathe in deeply, hold your breath and then breathe out slowly and in a controlled way. Relax your shoulders and unclench your jaw as you breathe.

3. Write. Having a ‘brain dump’ of all of the things that are spinning around in my brain is great for clearing my head and gaining clarity on what is important. I tend to just write a stream of consciousness, but sometimes I write lists. Do whatever works for you, but write by hand if you can, rather than on a computer.

 These tips have been taken from an episode of The Kate Languages Podcast on teacher wellbeing and burnout that I released waaayyyy back in season 1. If you’d like to listen to the full episode you can do that here.