Teacher Burnout: Seven Tips for Stressed Out Educators

Teachers are a fundamental part of our society, as they help raise our children and guide them to uncovering what their interests are in this world. 

That in itself is an extremely rewarding career, yet at the same time, it can be overwhelming and demanding if our teachers are not equipped with the proper resources to help them manage any stress that may come their way. 

Let’s talk about teacher burnout.

What Is Teacher Burnout?

Burnout is chronic stress that over time may translate into physical, emotional, and mental depletion. It can cause a sense of detachment, lack of motivation, and inability to focus. If left unaddressed, it can lead to more serious issues like mental illness.

Many teachers strive to be high achievers who look for ways to improve their skills and abilities in the classroom for their students. This is one reason they are fantastic at their job, yet over time, it can lead to burnout or a feeling of defeat, rather than accomplishment.

If a teacher has behavioral difficulties in their classroom, that may add stressors to an already full day of educating students. It could translate to a teacher taking on more pressure in regards to the more challenging students, and carrying that stress with them even when not in the classroom. 

What Are the Signs of Burnout?

Burnout can manifest in many ways, but it may start as irritability, exhaustion, increased feelings of tension, or changes in appetite. Here is a closer look at some common symptoms of burnout:

• Are you having any issues with sleeping or staying asleep? Over time, sleep disorders may creep in if this area of your life is not addressed. 

• Have you had any changes in appetite? Whether it be weight gain or loss, it is critical to feed your body nutritious, healthy, and nourishing food that is going to support you physically. 

• Are you feeling a lack of motivation or focus in or out of the classroom? Do you feel exhausted and lack the desire to stay organized or plan ahead to make your school days easier?

If all of the above continually is ignored or suppressed, it may eventually lead to new or worsening mental illness. If you have already noticed new or worsening symptoms, reaching out to a mental health professional can help you find proper relief.

Seven Tips To Manage Stress

All of that said, we do have some tips when it comes to stress management. Stress can be a complex feeling, but finding relief doesn’t need to be complicated. 

Take a Break To Recharge

Yes, even while at school! Hopefully, your school values teachers receiving some kind of break during the day to refuel themselves. 

Giving yourself time to refuel can translate into being able to give the children more value in the classroom — when you yourself are recharged and ready to tackle the day, you are better able to complete the tasks at hand efficiently and effectively. 

Whether it be a teacher prep day, an entire period with no class, a school assembly, or a teacher rotation during lunch break to oversee the students, small breaks during the day can make a big difference. 

Practice Self Care

A few baseline self-care practices are proper sleep, nutrition, exercise, and hydration. At a minimum, it’s vital that these areas in your life remain as balanced as possible. 

As you begin to notice stress creeping in, tune into what allows you to recharge and enjoy a daily reset. The more you are able to engage in those daily resets and routines, the more tools you will be able to use to manage your stress. 

Even if your self-care is simply taking a few minutes in between classes to close your eyes, have a quick mediation, or set intentions before the next class begins, those moments can help you refocus your mind and check in with yourself. 

Another easy and enjoyable tool is aromatherapy, which entails using essential oils to experience benefits regarding mood and tension. 

Self-care boils down to finding something you can do just for yourself.

Set Boundaries 

Boundaries are key — both at home and in the classroom. If you do not have the energy to give and are going out of your way to help someone else, simply let them know that right now is not the best time and your focus needs to be on yourself. 

Saying no can be empowering when we allow it to be. This goes hand in hand with knowing our limits and not taking on responsibilities that we do not have the mental bandwidth for.  

Plan Ahead, Stay Organized, and Keep It Easy 

The more organized and prepared you are for class each day, the more relaxed you may be able to feel during school hours. 

Organization gives you a structure and foundation to follow that can take some of the unknowns out of the equation. Even cleaning up at the end of the day so that you can start fresh the following day may help tremendously. 

Keep Your Classroom Fun 

This is when you can bring some of your own interests and passions into your lessons in the classroom! 

Is there something that you love teaching, or a hands-on experience that you know your students will enjoy? If you are able to sprinkle these ideas throughout the school year, it gives you (and your students) something to look forward to — and the ability to rejuvenate a spark when it may be most needed. 

Strength in Unity 

Like anything else in life, it’s helpful to know that you are not alone. That others see what you are going through, as they may be going through their own version of it. 

This creates a sense of unity and connection among teachers, and even an outlet to communicate to someone who understands at the deepest levels how you are feeling. 

Abundance of Resources 

Resources come in many shapes and sizes. If a teacher is experiencing burnout, a mental health professional is a perfect resource to help guide someone through their tough time and assist in processing their stress. 

Teachers can also use resources in the classroom. Having occasional volunteers to assist in the classroom or inviting guest speakers, for example, can help take off some of the stress. This can help teachers feel equipped and supported during their school year and set them up for success. 

What Are Stress-Reducing Supplements?

ASYSTEM’s powerful tools can be a real asset in your personal toolkit as a teacher, inside and outside of the classroom. If your goal is to reduce stress and achieve more restful sleep during the school season, we are here to support you.

Calming Support  

Our Complete Calm Sleep Gummies can help you receive the quality sleep you desire, allow you to sleep the perfect amount of hours each night, help to calm the mind, and ensure you wake up refreshed in the morning. 

If sleep is an issue and is starting to affect your productivity and mood, our Complete Calm gummies just might be the perfect fit for you — and they won’t leave you feeling foggy in the morning.

Our key ingredient is clinically-proven Safr'Inside™, which can help enhance your emotional health, decrease tension, and promote better sleep. 

Our formula also features Chamomile, which may improve digestion, promote sleepiness, and act as an anti-swelling mechanism. Passionflower extract and Holy Basil also aid in calming the system. 

Lion’s Mane Extract is powerful for building neurons in the brain and can help boost your overall cognitive function.

We recommend that you take one gummy about 30 to 60 minutes before you go to bed for the most benefits.  

Stress Support 

Our Complete Calm-De-Stress Gummies can help relieve any stress that arises during the day, ease tension, promote focus, and support your mood. 

This blend features Safr'Inside™, Lion’s Mane Extract, and Panax Ginseng, which can support memory and brain function, boost energy levels, and combat swelling in the body. Our high-quality formula also includes Rhodiola and Lemon Balm Extract to enhance your wellbeing and reduce feelings of stress. 

With this support system, we recommend that you take one gummy at the beginning of your day so that the healing properties can work their magic throughout the entire day. 

With both the calming and stress support systems, the key to noticing lasting results is to be consistent. 

Conclusion

Teachers work hard at raising the younger generators, and that can be stressful and challenging at times. It’s no wonder teachers are so prone to burnout. 

That said, stress management techniques and methods of relaxation can help relieve burnout in teachers. From supplements to unity to breaks for self-care, many strategies may be able to bring relief to stressed educators.

We hope that this information serves you well in identifying stress and burnout early in its tracks so that it’s easy to correct. When burnout strikes, you may be well-equipped to do what is necessary to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. 

Sources: 

Benefits of Lion's Mane Mushrooms & How To Use | NYONEL

How School Leaders Can Build Hope and Prevent Teacher Burnout | Edutopia

Teacher Burnout: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How You Can Prevent End-Of-Year Burnout | Waterford