How to avoid experiencing teacher burnout is not an easy question to answer. Teachers work super hard. Constantly. And because of that, burnout is practically a guarantee at some point, many times sooner than later.
We have all been there. It doesn’t matter what kind of teacher you are, how long you have been teaching, or even how many students you have. Because teachers pour their lives into their students, classroom, and program, it is impossible not to feel at some point that you’ve had enough and can’t keep going. And generally, teachers are spending so much time pouring into others’ lives without getting very much of that love in return.
In this article, I will address some of the reasons for burnout and give five solid solutions to get you and your class back on your feet and excited about being with your students in class every day again!
Table of Contents
The Problems
But first, let’s take a look at some of the biggest reasons that teachers get burned out to begin with:
- Not getting enough rest.
- Too much work, not enough hours in a day.
- Not enough energy to keep up with a room full of kids day after day.
- Too many students for one (or two) teachers.
- Being overwhelmed with a new job/surroundings/students.
- Been doing the same school programs for too many years.
- The same old tired routine because there isn’t enough time to create a new one from scratch or research.
There are many more than this, but this is a good start that hits a lot of us teachers where we live.
When looking at this list, there are some things in there that we can’t do a lot about. We can’t make more than 24 hours in a day. We can’t necessarily change where we work (at least not in the short term). And we definitely can’t change the number of students we have in our class. Finally, we can’t always change up a whole curriculum, especially if the school we are working in requires certain books/programs for certain classes.
But there are some definitive things that us teachers can do, even when we feel like we are buried under the pressure of unending expectations with no end in sight.
So Where Do You Fall?
It is pretty much a guarantee that teachers are going to feel burnout at some point (and multiple times) in their career. But before you try to figure out how to avoid experiencing teacher burnout, it would be good to find out where you fall on the burnout scale right now.
There is actually a really cool test that you can take. It is on mindtools.net and you can access it by clicking here.
I took it and found it to be remarkably accurate to how I was feeling at the time. Once you take the test, come back here to see what you can do about it!
Some Solutions
So while I am about to share a few great ways to figure out how to avoid experiencing teacher burnout in this article, keep in mind that there are so many more ways. It would be impossible for me to cover more than a few. But please share what has worked for you to avoid burnout in your own classroom life!
But also, even if you aren’t a teacher working in a classroom, you can still use these same solutions. Just change the terminology to match your own job situation. Because honestly, there are tons of jobs out there that carry a high stress level. And we can all use some help in avoiding experiencing those burnout symptoms.
See a Doctor
Although this is the first item on my list, it is just about the last thing that teachers will go to for help regarding how to avoid experiencing teacher burnout. I think the main reason is because most teachers are so busy working on the everyday stuff that is causing the burnout. They most likely don’t even realize that some of their difficulty could be from being overtired, ill, or needing some other sort of medical or emotional help.
The Benefit
Taking an opportunity to evaluate your physical/emotional health before there is an issue is a huge step in the right direction. It is ciritical that teachers do this step before burnout starts. Then they may be able to avoid the vast majority of burnout before it starts.
I think as women we just forget to take care of ourselves because we spend all of our time taking care of others. To be fair, there are certainly men in the field who do an excellent job and can be very nurturing. But women form the majority of teachers and tend to be guilty of not taking the time for self-care. (If you are a man that is suffering from burnout AND you spend more time taking care of others than yourself, this message is for you too!)
So, do yourself (and your loved ones) a favor and get an annual checkup. I am definitely talking to myself here too. In the past, I have rarely gone to the doctor. This is not because I don’t have the money (checkups are generally free). It is actually because I don’t have the time. I am fortunate to be healthy. But that doesn’t mean something couldn’t happen with my health. The sooner things are caught, the better they can be adequately fixed. So let’s pledge together to get that appointment!
One final note about the doctor. Current physician training includes components of emotional as well as physical health. Research has taught doctors that the two are inseparable. And both are critical to good health. So that is good news for you as you find ways to avoid experiencing teacher burnout on a daily basis.
Recruit Student Helpers
Recruiting student helpers is a win-win in so many ways! Especially in the younger grades, kids are begging to be helpers. They want to pass out the papers or craft supplies. Or they want to help set up the next class materials. It doesn’t matter what small job it is, they want to help.
So what about grading papers? It does take a few more minutes of class time to have the students exchange papers and then go over the correct answers so they can grade them and then turn them in. But it isn’t wasted time. It is actually sneaking in a little bit of extra review. And they are getting reinforcement of what the right answers were! The biggest benefit here: you just saved at least an hour for that evening because you no longer have to grade 25 papers.
So:
- extra review for the students
- saving your evening for your family
- allowing the students to feel like they are helping with a big job (tell them so!)
You just improved your classroom in several ways with just one small change.
Some Other Ideas
There are tons of other ways to do this. You could have a student who got done early with their work organize a certain part of the room that has gotten out of control. As a reward when they are done, have a small basket with “prizes” in it to reward the job they just did. That basket can just have dollar store items or even less expensive little things you see while you are out. Erasers, pencils, pens, note pads, any little gadgety thing, tiny toys, or anything else you happen to see that you can throw in the basket.
And this is also making your students’ classroom experience richer in many ways. Kids love prizes. They love organization, even if they can’t or don’t do it automatically. They love recognition. And they love the satisfaction of a job well done.
Take Back Some Time Every Day
It is so easy to go from day to day just doing the things you know you need to do. Before you know it, a week has gone by–or more. And you haven’t taken any time for yourself.
I fully realize that there aren’t enough hours in a day. There never will be! And I also realize that it seems counter-intuitive when you have a bigger list of things than you can get done in a day. Besides your school list, you have your other lists too:
- things that need to get done at home
- things that you need to buy
- doctor/dentist appointments and whatever other appointments your family has
- sports
- church or other organizations
This list was definitely not exhaustive, but you get the point. There doesn’t seem to be any time left for self-care.
Taking Time to Get Time Back
But without it, all of the other things you need to do will suffer and take even longer to do in the long run. By making sure you are taking care of yourself you will have more energy, clearer thinking, and a fresh perspective. And those things will allow you to finish as much as you can in a day much more efficiently than if you hadn’t been taking care of yourself.
You still won’t get everything done. But you will feel better about yourself. And you will feel better about what you did accomplish on that list.
Switch Things Up
I have to admit, this was one of the hardest things for me to do. When I had originally planned out my school schedule, I had front-loaded all of the critical subjects first so that I could get them out of the way while the kids were still fresh and energetic.
It was a strategy that worked well. But over time, I realized that while we were getting things done, we were so enslaved to that schedule that we weren’t thinking about the potential to do so much more during that time and still get everything done productively.
Surprise them with Change`
We still frontload the most important things first most of the time. But once in a while, I will call a “backwards” day, where we go up the list from the bottom instead of down the list like normal. The kids love the switch up!
What I realized soon after starting this was that the kids were getting refreshed by the newness as much as I was!
Another thing I would do, especially if some of the students were having a hard time getting a concept, was to stop everything and have a five minute “something else” party. I would pick one fun thing to do that would be a pleasant distraction for a few minutes.
Yes, I lost a few minutes of very valuable class time, but I also gained back the kids’ attention whose eyes had glazed over and I had already lost. And when we got back to the subject a few minutes later, I had their attention again and they were ready to go.
One caveat to this is not to do an activity that is going to take more than about 5 minutes. And make sure it is not something that will cause the kids to get hyper or unable to focus back quickly on the lesson when you call time.
Confide in Someone Who Understands
If you are teacher, there are 3.2 million other teachers who understand very well what you are gong through most of the time. Talk about a few available listening ears!
If you aren’t a teacher, but need someone to confide in, there are also tons of people in your own field that can also lend a listening ear.
Just keep in mind that venting is fine and usually welcome. That is because it shows that you are human and have your limits. But it can’t be your entire focus. Vent, breathe, and then move on in a positive way. For all of the negative things that happen in a day, how many victories can you claim for other areas of your day?
On the Flip Side
At the end of the day, you are there to teach and inspire those kids to live the best life they can. That is an amazing thing. And the kids will love you for it when you take them seriously.
Does that mean they will treat you well all the time? Nope, not even if they love you the most of all of their other teachers. People fail, even when they mean well. Kids will fail too. But loving them through it and continuing on make for a wonderful classroom that leave them plenty of room to grow in to wonderful adults.
Keep in mind also, that for some kids, you may be a rare ray of sunshine that they don’t get often. Be super sensitive to those kids without making it an issue for them. Those are the children that need to know that you see them and are listening.
And somehow, my point of confiding in someone who understands turned into you being the understanding one. Because that is what teachers do. And that is just fine! As long as you are getting some understanding and love coming back at you from time to time!
Bonus Tip!
So since most teachers are also avid readers in their “spare” time, I wanted to conclude this article with a great book by Elena Aguilar. She is absolutely amazing! The name of the book is Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators . (Click on the title to go to the Amazon description.)
Besides the amazing encouragement that Ms. Aguilar gives in this book, she also has a companion workbook that has gotten rave reviews among teachers that used it. You can look at the Amazon description for that right here. There were a few teachers who thought some of the exercises were overkill. I did not actually feel that way. But I also was not trying to meet any deadlines to finish it. And other teachers recommended that you just do the exercises in the workbook that you felt pertained to you the most.
Conclusion
Hopefully, if you find yourself in burnout mode, you are able to get the help and encouragement you need to get back on track as soon as possible. Just know that any teacher that has worked for any significant length of time has felt what you are feeling and you are not alone! Being able to avoid experiencing teacher burnout is one of the biggest priorities for being an effective teacher. And since so many teachers have been through it, you have a huge support network!
Teachers have a huge calling in life and it is one of the most difficult jobs you can do! Congratulations for pushing through, even though the road is difficult and long.
For some more inspiration in the classroom, check out this article on how to accomplish more effective lesson planning.
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/burnout-survey.html
These are some gret tips! I will definitely share this with my cousin, whom is close to give up teaching because of the burnout!
Thank you for sharing, Cristina. And I am so sorry about your cousin. Teaching is very difficult. And I hope that she (or he) is able to get through the burnout. It is a battle, but so worth it in the end!
These are so great tips! I have friends who are teachers, I’ll share this with them. Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us!
Thank you, Krysten!
Teachers are my heroes. I always feel for them because some kids are so disrespectful these days. It’s why I give them gift cards for the holidays so they can at least buy something they enjoy.
I can guarantee you that those teachers are loving their gift cards. Thank you for being such a great advocate for teachers! And I have to say that when you see some of those disrespectful kids transform into respectful and more mature kids by the end of the school year, there is almost no better feeling than to know that you reached a child in such a powerful way! Loving and investing in kids can change the world for a better place.
It must be so difficult being a teacher. I can completely understand why burnout happens among them. Especially the way some of them are treated by students.
Teachers should really keep a life outside of school and students. It’s easy to get lost in the job and make it one’s life.
My daughter is a teacher and was teaching kindergarten and she was really getting burned out from it. She decided to switch to first grade.
Teaching all of the grades is hard work but also rewarding. Thank your daughter for having a heart for those kids!
My mum fell into the trap that the children depended on you to do well, they don’t. If you aren’t there someone else will fill the void.
I have a lot of friends and family members who are teachers who have experienced burn out. It is such an under-appreciated job! Bless all of those teachers out there!
Yes, Dani, it is such an under-appreciated job, but as the teachers work with the kids and see the kids respond and grow, it makes a lot of that lack of appreciation fade away. I think that is what makes them more willing to keep going back every day.
Wow never thought about these.. love all the tips I will share this with some friends 🙂
Another reason to appreciate our teachers. It’s not an easy job so anything we can do to help them with burnout is important.
Teachers really have an incredibly hard job. So, these tips are really helpful. My favorite is take some time back in your day. Self-care is important!!
I get burnout and sleep is sometimes a issue or that I am doing too much. Sometimes a break helps me get motivated
I know, Tara. Sometimes, especially as homeschool moms, it is hard to take that break because we feel like the whole world will fall around us. But taking that break usually ends up making us more productive in the long run. This is good advice for all people, not just teachers!
Your blog posts always fascinate me a lot because as I always say, although I don’t teach, this is a way that fascinates me, the job I wanted to do.
Even though you didn’t end up teaching, it is good advice for many other areas in life! Thanks for sharing, Cristina!
Being a teacher must be so stressful. I get that you can easily exhausted. those are great tips!
Although I am not a teacher but I do understand!!! I can’t imagine how stressful being a teacher is. Great tips.
Thanks, Chad. Honestly, we all experience burnout from time to time, so this advice works for everyone!
For me, the way I avoid it is by NOT being a teacher! LOL! I give teachers so much credit, I would NOT have the patience!!
Haha, I literally lol’ed at that! I always used to say teachers were entitled to have less patience because of all that they have to put up with and most do it so well.
Teachers have so much patience. They are heroes. They go through so much! Great tips!
Wow this was a great read. I didn’t know the half. Teachers are so important to our future. Truly MVP”S of life itself!
These are great tips, not just for teachers but for everyone. I have a sister and a best friend who are teachers and I am going to share this with them.
You are right that they are good tips for anyone! Thank you for your thoughts!
I really feel like this is going to help so many teachers out there. I had to homeschool my kids for the past several months, and I have to say, the burnout is real already. I can’t imagine doing it for a living.
Moral support really helps. Also, teachers also deserve a vacation. They need it!
Those are some awesome tips for teachers and they can apply to others as well. The taking time for yourself is huge, if you don’t find a balance in life, things can get tough really quick.
Teachers are overworked and underpaid. I hope that once everything goes back to normal, they are taken care of better.
Will definitely pass this along to my many teacher friends. These are tips I can incorporate into my life even though im not a teacher.
Every educator should keep these tips as a reference. These are easy and affordable for anyone to do.
I remember getting burned out, I think talking to others really helped the most.
I work from home and never wanna get burn out so I make sure i workout everyday and take my dog on many walks so i can get outside
I am sure these are a great help to all teachers and even to all mothers who become teachers by their kids at home. Thank you!
Burnout is so hard to combat! I used to teach teens at church and burnout was always a challenge.
The shared tips and point will try to use as reference and guidelines, these are really useful for me. Thanks for great sharing.
Switching things up has been a game-changer for me!
These are all important tips to remember and take note of if you are feeling as if you may be starting to get burned out
What great points to make, it’s so easy for anyone to feel burned out it’s important to recognize how you’re feeling and take care of yourself!
My cousin is a teacher and I do not know how she has not burnt out yet, so will send this her way as this would deffo help if she starts to feel the burn x
I experienced being a teacher once and it was really stressful, but these tips of yours seem helpful for avoiding a teacher burnout! I agree that it’s difficult being a teacher, so I love how you made an article to help teachers become more relaxed! Thank you for this <3
High levels of teacher burnout prevent the teacher from developing and maintaining a positive attitude towards the students and their specific needs. This can lead to children being less involved in the learning process and less motivated to study. … A burned out teacher has lost interest in teaching and education. Your tips are really good!
Your blog always brought up some pressing and real issues and thanks for your insight and sharing, so all of us could take note and now I know we have a good supporting system – Knycx Journeying
Teacher burnout is real! My husband is a teacher and yes, this happens no matter how passionate you are in your profession. These are helpful tips. Sharing this post with him.
You are right, Clarice. It is so hard sometimes. I remember being so excited at the beginning of the day and so burned out by the end of the day after I had been teaching for several years. It seemed that no matter what I tried to do to avoid it, I was just plain burned out. I ended up changing my routine significantly and eventually it worked out. But I know a lot of other teachers don’t have that freedom and have to just push through. Thank your husband for his big heart and dedication to students!!!
I am sure teachers go through burn outs like a lot of people. Especially with this pandemic it can be pretty stressful.
Burnouts are fun for no one it’s great that you show how to avoid burnout specifically for teachers since this site is about teaching and teachers. I see how a class full of kids can make you go and burn out but that’s me I’m not a teacher I’m just a parent that’s got kids for like 125 days 24 seven since the 🔒 down
This is very helpful information for teachers. My heart goes out to all teachers right now having to make the difficult decision to return to the classroom or staying home and being safe.
You are so right that as women we forget to take care of ourselves. I am learning to relax and do norhing.
Easier said than done! Good for you!
As a teacher, I can relate to these tips. The key is to be mindful of what we can and cannot do and self-care.
These tips are great as always! I am not a teacher but I do exexperience burn out in my field .