Educating can be a challenging job. Teaching is definitely a career of passion, and those that teach have got to love the job to avoid consistent burnout.
Regardless of how much joy teaching brings you, it probably still leaves you feeling burnt out from time to time. Feelings of burnout can arise over time, and it’s totally normal.
Here are some ways to prevent teacher burnout from happening when sparks start to fly. You can stop those feelings from turning into a full-fledged, raging fire.
Take Care of Yourself Carve out an adequate amount of time to take care of yourself. Practice self-care through eating healthy, nutritious food that fuels your body and gives you the strength and energy you need to continue teaching.
Other ways to take care of yourself can be getting outside and going for walks regularly or working out at the gym on a consistent basis. Playing a team sport or participating in another recreational activity can keep your mind and body in good spirits, reducing your chances of teacher burnout.
Outside of physical health and wellness, taking care of your mental health is just as important. Set boundaries and set blocks of time aside to cultivate hobbies and passions that are important to you. This could be reading a book, cooking, or spending time with friends and family.
Focus on the Good Negativity breeds more negativity. While it can be hard to focus on finding a silver lining on a cloudy day, focusing on the good parts of teaching and remaining optimistic that there are brighter days ahead can help keep burnout at bay.
Even finding one highlight of your day can help you stay on track with a positive mindset. One game to play with yourself, or other teachers, friends or family, is High/Low. Tell one high point of your day for each low point to maintain a balance.
Leave Work at Work When you clock out for the day, leave work at work. Step out of the classroom or turn off your computer if you’re remote teaching and RELAX! There’s something to be said about a job well done and going above and beyond in the workplace. However, that hard work shouldn’t come at the expense of your own personal time and sanity.