There are few things that annoy me, as I consider myself a relatively calm person, but hearing someone say, “Teaching is easy; you get all these holidays and finish at 3:30,” makes my blood boil. In reality, managing mental health in teaching is no small feat, with the demands of the job and constant stress making it far from “easy.”
On reflection, people who say this likely fall into one of two categories:
- a) They are ill-informed and making huge assumptions based on when their children come home from school.
- b) They are deliberately attempting to provoke and wind teachers up.
Neither reason is a good excuse. One demonstrates ignorance and naivety, while the other seeks to belittle the profession.
As a young teacher, I used to launch into passionate explanations of the long hours teachers work, the dedication they show, and how the term ‘holidays’ on the school calendar is misleading—teachers work through those ‘holidays’ and often sacrifice their weekends when others are relaxing. See? Even now, after leaving the classroom, it still winds me up!
The truth is that the average teacher works around 20 extra hours a week beyond their contracted hours, for free. Teachers work three hours longer each day than the average worker.
How do they manage this? By sacrificing their own family time and personal wellbeing.
What’s more, recent data shows that teaching is the third most stressful occupation in the country, after health and social care and defence.
The pressure of trying to do the best job in a role that’s never ‘finished’, combined with dwindling resources, means fewer people are trying to do more, all while aiming to give every child the best start in life. Add the looming possibility of an Ofsted visit, and you’ve got a toxic mix of personal pride, inadequate time, and external pressures.
It’s a tough, demanding job, so how can teachers protect their mental health and wellbeing?
Here are a few key principles:
1) Know When to Say Stop
I work with many teachers and school leaders, who want to manage mental health, and those who thrive are the ones who set clear boundaries for their wellbeing. They say, “My personal time is my own, and I won’t compromise it.” For some, this means going to the gym twice a week or prioritising family time, but whatever it looks like, it becomes a non-negotiable part of their routine.
2) Keep the Job in Perspective
Teaching is a wonderful and rewarding profession, but it can take over your life. I’ve worked with teachers who begin resenting family members for wanting some of their time—a sure sign the job has taken over. Teaching is a job that’s never ‘finished’, so punishing yourself for not completing everything will only lead to burnout and feelings of inadequacy, such as imposter syndrome.
3) Prioritise Your Workload
Since the work will never be truly ‘done’, it’s crucial to prioritise tasks that have the greatest impact on your students. One strategy is to use a four-column system. In landscape orientation, create a sheet with the leftmost column representing tasks with the greatest impact on the children and the rightmost column representing those with the least. Then, categorise your tasks accordingly to focus on what matters most.
4) Prioritise Your Wellbeing
Doing something for your own wellbeing every day is essential to manage mental health. Even if it’s just half an hour with a book, it’s important to help you switch off from school and refresh your mind. It’s concerning how many teachers and school leaders do nothing for their wellbeing during the working week.
Exercise, walking, resting, or finding some relaxation time each day isn’t just a luxury—it’s an essential part of creating a healthy lifestyle that will benefit you in the long run. Think of it as putting credits into a ‘wellbeing pension’.
5) Connect with Others
Teaching can be isolating, both professionally and personally. Invest in professional communities to keep perspective and save time by learning from others. A problem shared is a problem halved.
Likewise, don’t neglect your social life. Connecting with people helps remind us that, while our jobs are important, they are still just jobs. Social connections allow us to refresh our minds and are vital for our overall wellbeing.
There’s so much more to explore, and if your school works with SAS, I can deliver some of these strategies in staff training sessions.
The pressure may feel relentless, and in many ways, it is. However, how you choose to manage it will help alleviate some of the burden. None of these strategies are easy, and they require courage, determination and commitment. However, they are far more effective if embraced as a school-wide initiative. There are teachers and school leaders who have made this shift and are now thriving by prioritising their wellbeing.
It might seem counterintuitive, as teachers naturally put the children first, but to give your best to the children, you need to be at your best. That means looking after yourself. It’s the old oxygen mask analogy: you can’t help others until you’re able to breathe properly yourself.
Remember, self-care isn’t selfish—it’s about giving the children the best of you, not what’s left of you.
To speak to on of our team contact us here.
Andy Mellor
Wellbeing Director