10 Ways To Reduce Your Stress As A New Teacher
Lots of teachers experience feelings of stress at various points in their careers. As a new teacher it’s useful to think about how you might manage your stress before you start your training year or first job.
Here are our 10 top tips for helping teachers reduce stress:
1. Manage Your Workload
One of the biggest causes of stress for teachers is workload and marking. Some of this will be outside your control, but as a teacher there are lots of things you can do to reduce the burden. Staying organised and making the most of ready-made resources will reduce your planning time. There are also ways to reduce marking time – speak to experienced colleagues for advice.
2. Boundaries
As a teacher it can be hard to say no. Think about what boundaries you want to put in place and how you want to plan your week. Some teachers will stay at school till they have finished their work. Others choose to take it home but then set an alarm for when they are going to stop each evening. Some teachers prioritise weekends as a time when they don’t work. Think about how connected you are and where you access your work emails - make sure you are able to have periods where you are able to fully disconnect and switch off. As you take on more responsibility, learn to say no to non-essential tasks which don’t align with your priorities.
3. Hobbies and Interests
It is important to have hobbies and interests which are outside of teaching. As well as being enjoyable, hobbies give you a chance to switch off and to socialise with friends who are not teachers. They can also help provide time to gain balance and perspective both in terms of priorities and overcoming challenges you might be facing. It can be helpful to have a hobby which is at a fixed time, for example singing in a choir which always rehearses at 7pm on a Tuesday. You will be far less likely to cancel when you get busy. If you are a working parent, it might feel like a big sacrifice to have a hobby on top of teaching and looking after your family, however it is worth prioritising this time.
4. Sleep
It can feel tempting to stay up late to get your work done, however this is not sustainable over a longer period. If you find that you are constantly sleeping for less than 7 or 8 hours a night then you need to have a rethink. Sit down with your mentor and review your workload and how you are managing your time. If you are struggling to sleep due to stress or other reasons, make sure you seek help.
5. Exercise
Physical activity can help you manage stress and to stay fit. Would it help you to exercise with a friend, or will you enjoy it more on your own? It is worth building exercise into your schedule as new teacher, so that you are used to making it part of your week. If you feel that exercising is a pipe dream then start small, it is better to do something than nothing at all.
6. Eat Well
While teaching is not a manual job, it is very active and you are on your feet for most of the day. It is important to eat a healthy diet and not to reach for the ready meals or take aways, as this can only worsen feelings of stress and harm your health in the long run.
Here are some top tips from current teachers:
- Batch cook healthy meals and get them in the freezer. Take one out the night before so that you know you’ve got some healthy food waiting for you each day.
- Prepare your lunch in advance. This could mean making a habit of prepping your sandwiches the night before. You could also get on board with the lunch bowl trend - prepare healthy lunches like these Bulgur & quinoa lunch bowls in advance and put them in the fridge. (You will be the envy of the staffroom.)
- Take a look at your school canteen (they vary a lot). Some schools serve full hot dinners at midday and this will allow you to eat something lighter like soup in the evening.
- Stock up on healthy snacks. Buy snacks that you can store in your desk (if you have one). Bags of apples, dried fruit, nuts and oatcakes last well and will save you having to bring snacks to school every day. (Make sure you check your school’s nut policy first.) Having healthy snacks will stop you reaching for the crisps and help you when you are short of time.
7. Coffee and Alcohol
When you are feeling stressed and tired you may be tempted to reach for coffee or alcohol. Be aware of what you might be drawn to when you are stressed, and consider other methods to relax such as exercise or talking with a trusted friend.
8. You Don’t Need to Be Perfect
As a teacher you don’t need to be perfect. Allow yourself to make mistakes and accept that you are on a learning curve. Think about what your priorities are and avoid wasting time on making your resources immaculate or teaching a ‘perfect’ lesson. Don’t be too hard on yourself and try and focus on what you’ve done well rather than dwelling on the negatives. If you have had a lesson which has gone badly wrong, then use it as an opportunity to learn.
9. Regularly Review
As a new teacher it is important to regularly re-evaluate how you are doing. Maybe you started the year with lots of plans and now it has all gone out of the window and you are feeling stressed and staying up till midnight every day. You might feel intimidated by your colleague who makes their lunch in advance, runs triathlons and never takes marking home. Try not to compare yourself, particularly to more experienced colleagues. Remember that even small changes can help manage your stress and that you don’t need to be perfect.
10. Getting Support from Your Colleagues
As a teacher you are not on your own and are part of a wider team of colleagues. Think about what is causing you to feel stressed and it is likely that your mentor will have ideas to help you. If it’s marking and planning, then they can often signpost you to some ready-made materials which will save you lots of time. If behaviour management is the thing on your mind, then they can help you with specific strategies for the classes which you are finding difficult.
Further Resources and Support
Stress can vary in its severity and it is important to try and deal with it before it becomes unmanageable. The Charity 'Education Support' has lots more in depth advice on managing teacher stress. They also have a Teacher Helpline which has supported over 9000 teachers.
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