3 Big Tips to Prevent Burnout in 2024
After years of helping teachers establish more balanced, healthy careers, I know there are a few habits that are key for burnout prevention - How many of the habits below are you practicing?
You don’t need a new year to start a new habit, but if you don’t have these as part of your routine, I recommend choosing just one to try out now!
And if you found this post helpful, make sure to share with another teacher :)
3 Big Tips to Prevent Burnout in 2024
TIP 1: Choose a consistent time to stop working every day
As a teacher, you already know that you could work all day, every day, and no one would stop you. And since no one will do it for you, you have to intentionally set that work boundary yourself. When do you need to leave the school building for your wellbeing? When does the work laptop need to stay closed? Quitting for the evening means you’re also mindfully turning your thoughts away from work so you can focus on other important parts of life, or just give your mind a break so it can be refreshed for tomorrow.
Examples: “I leave the school building by 4pm every day”; “Once I’m home, I do not open my work computer or do any grading”
TIP 2: Say no to things outside your job description
Make sure the tasks you take on each day are in your job description. Say no or delegate the tasks that are not in your job description. Teachers are often described as having many hats, but no one can do it all. Always ask: Does this need to be done by me? Can I delegate this task to someone else? If it’s something like wiping down desks each day, try giving that job to a responsible student. Maybe a student comes to you with an emotional outburst, and you want to be there for them but it’s outside your expertise so you send them to the school counselor. Make sure you are focusing on your core job responsibilities first and foremost, and add on extras only if they feel manageable.
Examples: “I can’t help you with that because I have to devote my time and energy to [core responsibility]”; “That’s not my job, but [the person who’s job it is] can help you”; “I’m not going to do this task anymore unless there is fair compensation.”
TIP 3: Block out self-care in your daily calendar
Look - in the digital age we have to get strict about work boundaries or else we won’t get the time to care for ourselves. And for burnout prevention, it’s incredibly important to support your physical and mental wellbeing. Block out time each day in your calendar to move your body, sit down to eat healthful meals, and just turn off your brain to chill out. And then treat these times like important appointments you can’t miss. That means saying no or rescheduling things that consistently interfere with these time blocks.
Examples: “I go on a 20-minute walk to decompress every day after school”; “5pm is when I make a home-cooked dinner with my kids”; “9:30-10 is reserved for reading and winding down for bed”.