How To Deal With Burnout: A Guide For Teachers

Teaching is the most sought after profession which brings glory and immense respect for a person. However, it also is one of the toughest professions given the unlimited responsibilities that it carries. From juggling between preparing for the class to understanding students’ learning curve and behaviour, a teacher has to be prepared for a lot and therefore, burnouts are inevitable. 

Burnout is entirely understandable given the duties you undertake as a teacher, and if you teach online, digital fatigue is common. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to deal with burnout as a teacher. 

While you dedicate your entire time for the betterment of education and the learning and knowledge of the students, you should also focus on yourself and take enough breaks. Hence, here are a few tips on how to deal with burnout:

Self-Reflection

Self-reflection helps you in identifying where the problem lies and its true source. Sometimes, the issue is not what we initially believe it to be; it may simply be our perception, and other times, there may be absolutely nothing to worry about. Self-reflection is therefore crucial. It supports your ongoing improvement.

If you teach using an online teaching app, not being able to use the app to its full capability might also create a problem for you as it might be overwhelming. Hence, the reason can be anything, all you need to do is self-introspect.

One Task at a Time

Make a list of the things you need to perform and categorise them according to priority. Set aside a specific amount of time for each assignment. You can streamline your operations in this way. It helps in lowering the stress that contributes to burnout.

Create a to-do-list and focus on doing activities one by one instead of multitasking and overburdening yourself.

Have Fun While Teaching

Classes are not just meant for serious discussions. You can also have fun while learning. You can incorporate creative teaching style, humour, quizzes, innovative teaching techniques, etc to teach your students. Students enjoy learning more because of this, and it also makes you feel less stressed.

Take Good Care of Your Health

If you want to avoid burnout, you should put both your physical and emotional health first. Make sure to get enough sleep, exercise, and eat a balanced diet. How you feel has a significant impact on your emotional reactions. When you are in good health, you are able to take the day by storm.

Your physical as well as mental health, both are very important to reduce burnout.

Open-up with Others

Acting as though everything is fine and keeping your troubles to yourself will not solve your situation; on the contrary, it will make it worse. Therefore, seek out a confidant, perhaps a work colleague. Talk about the issues and challenges you are now experiencing. They might not be able to fix your issue, but they can assist you find answers to the problems you are having. When you share your problems with someone who understands your situation, the chances of them coming up with a good solution is higher.

Final Thoughts

If you, as a teacher, are stressed, you will not be able to handle your students and be available to their needs. Hence, it is equally important to prioritize yourself as much as you devote your life to serving the education.