If I were to ask you WHY you started teaching, what would you say?
You wanted to make a difference in the world? Inspire kids to love learning? Be a positive role model for students who really need one?
Trust me – I’m right there with you.
But, as we all know, the road to teaching is full of twists and turns. And that’s never been more true than it is today.
So how can you turn teacher burnout and stress back into that motivation and excitement you started with? Here are three simple things that will help…
#1 Switch One Little Word
The words we use make a big impact on our mood.
Instead of saying, “I HAVE to go to school”, change it to, “I GET to go to school.”
Switching the word HAVE to GET has the power to *completely* flip your mindset. Instead of looking at your day ahead as WORK, you’ll start to see it as an OPPORTUNITY to make a big, exciting impact in the world…
- “I get to teach my students to read.”
- “I get to take this teacher training so I can reach ALL of my students.”
- “I get to help my kids reach their fullest potential.
It’s so exciting to think about the opportunities you have to make a difference in the world each and every day!
#2 Just Say “No”
Nothing will burn you out faster than doing so much for OTHER people that you stop taking care of YOURSELF.
So try this…
Challenge yourself to say “no” to something at least once a day.
You can even make it a game! See how many days in a row you can set clear boundaries by saying:
- “No, I can’t help you out with that.”
- “No, I’m not going to go there.”
- “No, I’m not going to do whatever you need me to do.”
Saying “no” even once a day will open up time for you to do something else that actually fills your bucket like taking a bath, having happy hour with a friend or reading a new book.
And having a full bucket means you’ll show up to school more inspired and energized for the day ahead.
#3 Set Work Boundaries
Repeat after me: having the last car in the parking lot does NOT make you a better teacher.
In fact, if long work hours leave you feeling resentful and exhausted, it can actually keep you from being your very best for your students.
So decide on your work hours and stick to it!
Think about the earliest and latest you’re happy working…
- Do you want to be at school on evenings and weekends? (There’s no right or wrong answer.)
- When are you the most productive?
- When would you like to be with family and friends?
Set your work hours now and add them to your lesson planner so you remember to stick to them. You can even add an alert on your phone that pops up every work day to remind you it’s time to head home!
With just a few simple little tweaks, you can be more motivated, excited and energized than ever before… And you can stop teacher burnout in its tracks.
This is YOUR year and I’m so excited to cheer you on every step of the way!
Grab a Checklist
Speaking of simple ways to stop teacher burnout, if you’d like some help brainstorming ways to take care of yourself this school year, grab this checklist!
It’s filled with 25 quick and easy self-care ideas you’ll love.
