How to deal with Stress as a Teacher

by | Aug 7, 2020 | Teaching General, Training

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If one thing is certain, it’s that the world is a stressful place.

With every layer of society comes a deeper level of complexity, and this complexity makes things stressful. Take COVID for example. We used to be able to leave our houses, socialise and go about our daily business without the fear of social distancing, queuing for food, wearing a mask or death from the virus. While all of these are valid pre-cautions, they add a layer of stress and a layer of complexity to our everyday life.

In Week 4 of our Teach First Summer Institute I briefly talked about stress and you can find that post here: Summer Institute – Week 4.

I’m very aware that September is fast approaching. I’ve spent the better part of half a year at home, with lots of free time and fewer restrictions (working from home). However, in September I will starting my full time job as a trainee teacher at school. Now, not only am I facing the challenges of being a trainee teacher, but I’m facing the challenges of being a trainee teacher, at school, in COVID circumstances. Everything will be different, minor changes such as how we move around school or helping a student with their work presents new challenges. In preparation, I’m thinking a lot about my wellbeing and about how I will manage stress.

Here are my top ten strategies I’m going to employ in September.

1. Maintain your Hobbies & Social Life

Hobbies and socialisation are often the first things we drop when life gets busy. I don’t have to go out for a drink with my friends, I don’t have to keep knitting that jumper. Often, because there’s a non-noticeable consequence to skipping these activities, we do.

When planning my time, I like to put the fun stuff in first. For instance, on a Monday evening I have a singing lesson. This means I schedule it in first. Therefore, when you look at your week, you already have a few things to look forward to throughout your week and you prioritise them.

If you don’t, you quickly find your energy is running low, and you feel like all you ever do is work. Work is only one aspect of our life and we have to prioritise ourselves and the things we enjoy doing.

2. Smart Time Management

Time management is a huge topic. In my week 4, post I talked about the Eisenhower Matrix and prioritisation. However, my principle for time management here is simple: I will work hard between the hours of 8am – 5am, but when I leave I will do my best not to take work home with me (although people will laugh and say it’s an impossibility).

This creates a differentiation between work time and my time.

Here’s some tips Teach First gave us when it comes to Time Management:

3. Develop a positive Sleep Routine

I am not a great sleeper. I will often lay wide awake unable to turn my mind off and drift to sleep. I’ve researched this and two common themes I’ve found are: 1. Having a good sleep routine and 2. Practicing mindfulness. Sleep is one of the best things for us, it allows our bodies and minds to relax, heal and process.

I’m not great at sleep routines so here are some of the things I am going to try to put into practice:

  1. Only use your bed for sleeping.
  2. If after 20 minutes I’m still wide awake, get up and go to a different room to read/ meditate or get a hot drink. This stops you associating your bed with not sleeping.
  3. Go to bed and wake up at a consistent time. For me 12am – 7am.
  4. Don’t nap throughout the day.
  5. Have a 30 minute wind down
  6. Charge my phone away from my bed.
  7. If my mind is really active – write down my thoughts.

Click the link to find some more excellent tips and trick for sleep routines – Sleep Foundation.

4. Practice Mindfulness/ Meditation

I have a very active mind as I’ve said, and learning to control it has been a challenge to me. Mindfulness meditation, is a small activity that allows you to relax, process and help the emotional network of our brains. Each day, I want to take 10-15 minutes to just sit and breathe. Give my brain space to de-stress and unwind. This is meant to not only help us emotionally, but also make us feel better mentally and physically.

I’ve linked two videos that I think you might enjoy.

Finally, if you’re not convinced – here’s 12 more benefits – 12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation.

5. Include some Exercise

I love to exercise, I have enjoyed the benefits of the gym, played American Football and I often go for walks. Exercise releases positive hormones in the brain, that make us feel better. Also, it makes us feel better physically. If we improve our self image, we feel more confident and more positively about ourselves.

I used to get out of breath running up the stairs at home. I hated it, I hated feeling that unfit. To combat this I started running just twice a week. Eventually, I found that I could run up and down the stairs without feeling puffed out. Knowing I’m going to be standing and walking around all day, having energy that lasts throughout the day will be beneficial.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a lot, you could jump rope or run, swim or play a sport, you could go for an evening walk each day. You could cycle to work. I just want to make sure I’m active throughout the week.

6. Learn to SAY NO

Often when I go into new places, I want to be as available and as pro-active as I can. I want to get involved with everything. However, I know going into teaching I am going to have so much on my plate. And my primary focus in my first year is to provide quality teaching for my students and pass my QTS.

Therefore, I need to focus on the fundamentals of pedagogy and on completing the necessary work towards my QTS. It will be difficult but I need to be confidents enough to say no to the extra curricular projects or to take on more work. You have to be mindful of your capacity and your priority when you’re at the start.

7. Take a Break to Re-Energise.

Don’t be afraid to take a break. Teachers are given holiday time for a reason, it’s hard work! Don’t be afraid to take your weekends, your holidays and your evenings to look after yourself. To focus on something other than education, pedagogy and curriculum.

I have decided I want to do some travelling. I find a change in space gives me a fresh focus and re-energises me. So, where possible in my half terms I’m going to take little city breaks. But, you find what works for you and make sure you stop working and enjoy the break.

It’s a good exercise to find out what energises you and pursue it. When we know what rejuvenates us, we can be intentional with what we’re doing.

8. Plan out your food.

The fuel we put into our bodies is so important. I think a lot about what I eat and whether it positively benefits me or not. I think diet is one of the best things we can control, but it’s also one of the hardest. Tasty food is just so enticing – and I feel like I never get full.

I personally work on an intermittent fasting type process of eating. Often, I will forgo breakfast and lunch and eat my food between 5 and 10. I find this works for me, and while I’m not always putting good fuel in, I strive to not over indulge. It’s also good for me, because I often forget to sort myself out breakfast or lunch, so I’m not intentional and I’ll just spend money on a meal deal or fast food.

What I’m getting at with diet, is that we should aim to eat food that positively benefits us. Whatever works for you, it’s good to think about it and ensure you’re getting what your body needs.

9. Social Media Detox

I recently watched an interview with Ed Sheeran about how he stays peaceful at the top of the music industry. You can watch it underneath:

Social media can be such a big distraction for us. It is constantly stimulating our brains and providing little dopamine hits that make us feel rewarded. But, really, Social Media is a distraction, and if you’re not careful it can be a corrosive force that tears through your self esteem.

I have often found myself sat there discontent and dissatisfied with my life because it wasn’t like people on Instagram portrayed. This would make me feel un-motivated and I would waste more of my time scrolling aimlessly on social media.

I’m going to make sure I limit my time allowed on social media (There are inbuilt apps for this). I’m also going to shut off from my phone an hour before bed. This should help with my sleeping too.

10. Seek Support

Finally, if you’re really struggling with your wellbeing you should seek support. Back when I was 18, I was going through a bit of a rough patch and it took me a long time to seek the help I needed. Maybe I was nervous about being judged, maybe I thought I could deal with it by myself. Regardless, I did seek help and I built the skills I needed to confront my issues.

Mental health is nothing to be ashamed of, I think seeking support, even if you’re not seriously struggling is a good idea. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Some places to contact if needed: