Teacher Burnout - How to Combat Fatigue and Stress

Teaching is, arguably, one of the most noble of professions, but it is also one of the most peculiar: teachers have set times in which to have a coffee, eat a snack and to even take a comfort break and if, like me, that has been your reality for many years, the rigidity can start to take its toll, not only on physical health, but on mental health too.

With the start of the first half term of the year, there is the relief that, at last, there is some reprieve from the day to day stresses of the jobs. When that bell, alarm or even mental signal sounds at the ending of the Friday afternoon school day, the relief is almost palpable. Some wait for the students to leave then meet up in the local pub for alcohol that we convince ourselves is deserved and even needed; some stoically relish the moment as a chance to clear up and prepare for the new half term so that the week off can be enjoyed, stress free. And others go straight home to prepare for a vacation. In whatever way that last moment of the half term is marked, it is undoubtedly always marked.

School holidays are so significant because, without them, teachers feel that they simply cannot go on. Half term breaks are essential for recovery. So many teachers will speak about needing the time, about how they would genuinely struggle if the half term were a week longer. It is often the case that, if a holiday is not booked, then it is a time for recharging, not resting, until that first Monday back. 

Sometimes we can feel pressured into filling the weeks off with activities and exciting things so that we can return to work and tell our colleagues what we have been doing. Sometimes, I was too embarrassed to admit that I had spent the whole time lying on the sofa, trying really hard not to get involved in daytime tv and doing very little other than a bit of tidying up and maybe cooking the odd meal from scratch, and that the reasons for this was simply that I just did not have the energy to do anything else - by the time I had recovered  the energy, it was almost time to return to work and then the regime begins again until the next holiday. I used to envy those who came back so excited to tell you what they had been doing - the foreign mini breaks or the many lunches and events with friends. It was not necessarily the social life that I had wanted, it was the energy that they had that enabled them to live.

So, for any teachers reading this who feel completely exhausted, or, which was often the case for me, feeling slightly under the weather on the first weekend off, I hope this simply offers some reassurance that I hear you. I have been there and know first hand what it is like. You are not alone.  And I can assure you that there are many of your colleagues who feel exactly the same, but we just do not talk about it. 

What is Burnout?

Burnout has come to be quite a commonly used term in today’s society in which, thank goodness, mental health is now something that is more openly discussed. It is, technically, a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and overload, so it is of little wonder that teachers, in a 2021 YouGov Teacher Track survey, 50% reported to have suffered one of the above elements continuously - yes, continuously! It should therefore come as little surprise that, a year later, a separate survey run by Education Support as part of the Teacher Wellbeing Index, found that a staggering 75% of teaching staff felt permanently stressed, with 84% of those being senior leaders and 72% being school teachers, thus showing that stress and burnout do not discriminate - regardless of status, rank or pay, the majority of individuals working in schools are stressed out. 

Now, imagine if these figures were in relation to the student cohort - this would be regarded as a major issue and urgent measures would, quite rightly, have to be put in place. But, for the teaching body, this is largely going unnoticed, with teacher grievances being aired in echo chambers, be these staff rooms, class rooms or public houses. And herein lies the rub - who do teachers talk to other than each other? It then becomes a spiral of despair with teachers feeling stressed only hearing about the stress of others. Or, what can arguably be more dangerous, staff experiencing their road to burnout alone - I remember many, and I mean - many - teachers telling me that they would go home, sit on the sofa and stare at the wall, or the kitchen counter, unable to move, feeling as though they were mentally and physically breaking down, completely immobile, or going home crying to themselves or their partners, then falling asleep, metaphorically and, in some cases, literally shattered, to do the whole thing again the next day.  Even more alarming, perhaps, is the fact that, according to the same study, 47% of all staff always go into work when feeling unwell, with a staggering 78% experiencing mental health symptoms which they put down to work factors.

So the term, burnout, is very apt.

As a lover of words and an ex English teacher, I feel that there is no better way to describe that feeling, like there was once a spark of hope, energy and altruism that then seemed to metaphorically burn through everything - your health, your relationships, your soul - yes, everything. And even when, like a match, we become like the remnants of a wooden splint, just about holding ourselves together, we keep on going because we are teachers and that is what we do. We do not want the children to suffer; we do not want our colleagues to suffer; we do not want to leave the profession because we do not know what other job we can do and likely do not have the funds or financial support to retrain. And, if I am being honest, despite leaving the profession myself, I do not hope for there to be a mass exodus of teachers  - we need you! Throughout my 23 year career, I was really fortunate to always work with incredible staff, who excelled in their roles, who were clever and strong and conscientious to a fault. No, this is not a call to arms at all. I want teachers to stay where they are, but with one caveat: self care.

So, for what it is worth, here are my 5 tips to combating burnout:

Tip #1 - Live Your Life

Do not wish your life away by counting down to the next holiday - live your life during the school week. Arrange a theatre trip, a drink or meal with a friend or loved one, or even do an evening class one day in the week. Yes, this may mean that you are tired in the morning, and this may seem somewhat contradictory to the burnout that I am advocating against, but it is not burnout when it is a result of something done by choice - it is tiredness and that is the difference. Being tired after an evening out of fun is strangely uplifting. Trust me on this one - I’ve done evening classes, the odd pilates class, cinema trips and even ballroom dancing once upon a time, and yes, I felt tired in the morning, but I felt exhilarated too, because I was living and simply not existing for the next morning. Another option is to arrange, perhaps once a month, to do something one weekend, a festival (Love Supreme in July always brings me joy) perhaps, or a weekend away. Again, it reminds you that you are someone other than a teacher: you are a lover of music, or books, or walking. It really does not matter. 

Tip #2 - Make Time for Yourself

Teaching is almost impossible without either a mental or physical to-do list and either we or another person admonish ourselves if a deadline is missed, so why not write a to-do list for your life? I used to do this regularly, I would often write down that I would read a book for a certain amount of time or read a certain amount of chapters uninterrupted because I love reading but felt that this was a luxury when I was a teacher. Think about what you love doing and pencil it in as an item on your list, make yourself watch that film or even just sit and do nothing - your mental health is as much, if not more of a priority than work because you cannot work without it, so why not prioritise it! And, of course, this does not have to be a literal list, it can be a mental one, or, better still, tell someone else that you are definitely going to do that thing and you will be more likely to do it.

"68% of teachers report that their job has adversely impacted their physical health in the last 12 months" (NASUWT Wellbeing Survey, 2024)

Tip #3 - Eat and Drink Mindfully

Eat properly, Yes, I know that this is a cliche, but, when you are working all day, it can be really easy to grab whatever is available to eat, and justify it by telling ourselves that we deserve it, because we are tired or have been working all day. Try to always eat at every break time that your school has - healthy snacking is really important as it maintains a healthy weight and keeps our energy levels up. We always have a choice of what we eat and drink and we need to make sure that our choices are healthy ones.

Tip #4 - Love Your Job!

Often with teaching, we lose sight of the reason why we joined the profession in the first place, but do you remember that adrenaline rush you felt the first time you stood in front of a class and taught a lesson for the first time? Or, after a promotion, the first time you had to deliver an assembly, or a staff meeting? For Head Teachers, it is likely to be the first time walking into your school - there was excitement, and, after the first day of embarking on any of these things, you went home exhausted but fulfilled. Dig deep. Let that feeling resurface and, if this is a bit extreme, then at least find something about your job that you love and hold on tight to that one thing - it may be that class, or your department, or a work colleague. No matter how bad it seems, there is always that one student who gets it, or even just a moment when everything seems to flow and you remember that love you felt for your job, you remember why you said yes to that promotion or to taking over that school. Even if the only reason you can think of is the pay at the end of the month, then so be it - love and appreciate every penny of that money - it is paying for the roof over your head, the food that you eat, and the clothes on your back, in other words, the fundamental things you need to live.

Tip #5 - Talk and Listen

It is imperative, that even if teacher burnout does not apply to you, you must have someone in mind who you can offload to, preferably not a family member, and I write this because, yes, loved ones will always offer the best support, but, no one understands teachers like teachers, so, unless your partner or loved one happens to also be in the profession, find someone who is to talk to and make sure you listen to reciprocate by listening to others too. This does not have to be a colleague in the same school - put the feelers out, perhaps create whatsapp groups or liaise with local educational establishments, but please do not bottle things up - do not wear that mask if everything is not ok, after all, it can get hot under there and if worn for too long, it may never come off and you will lose yourself forever. 

Closing Statement

Teachers are the engine room of the school - if you fail, then everything falls apart. This means that, if you are to remain in the profession, then self care is a priority.

Burnout is a sad reality, all too common, so recognising the signs and taking action is so imperative. And remember, nothing is more important than your mental health.

Look after yourself,

Lisa Mason-Cooper

Further Help and Support

• www.educationsupport.org.uk. There are many resources here and a free phone

• Phone number if you need to speak to someone: 08000 562 561

• For school leaders wanting to improve staff wellbeing, the Department for Education Website: www.improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk has a wealth of tools that can be used to facilitate this.

• Seriously, if you feel that teaching is no longer for you, then there is support out there. I recommend #JoHoward www.adventuresafterteaching.com. Jo provides invaluable support to those thinking about leaving teaching and there are many teachers in the same boat who were really supportive of me when I made the leap. 

www.lisamasoncooper.com

I am Lisa Mason-Cooper, accredited life coach, whose services include hypnotherapy and counselling. I am passionate about all things relating to healing, mental health and wellbeing.