Dr. Floyd Williams, Chicago, on Teachers Avoiding Burnout

For teachers, burnout is entirely too common, especially if they do not practice self-care and prepare themselves for possible stressors throughout the year. In teaching, burnout not only affects you, but it also affects your students, since you’ll have to take time off to recover. There’s been a shortage of substitutes available for many districts as well, which means your students may not get consistent coverage while you’re gone, causing you to be even more stressed when you come back. Start the year off on the right foot and take care of yourself to avoid burnout.

Create a strong support system

The first step you should take as an educator to avoid burnout is creating a strong support system. Having people who are there for you and being there for others helps you in all aspects of teaching; find fellow teachers you can talk to about the profession and get their input for solutions to stress or other problems in the classroom. It’s also important to cultivate strong friendships and relationships outside of work for when you just need to get away from the world of teaching.

Stay organized

Most teachers are incredibly organized individuals, but even if you slip up on organization for a week or two, it can throw your entire year off track. Plan out each week at the beginning of it and create plenty of lists and schedules so you never forget what you need to get done. Manage your time like a champion and you’ll avoid lots of stress.

Remember the great moments

For teachers, there are going to be times when you find the job incredibly rewarding. You’ll see a former student achieve their dreams or you’ll witness a difficult concept click for someone. Whatever the great moments you experience are, remember them. Write them down so you can refer to them and give yourself a boost during the tough times.

Take care of yourself

Self-care is vitally important no matter what your job is. Remember to take days off for your mental health and find a little time in each day to relax. Whether you spend time exercising, participating in a hobby you love, or getting adequate sleep, you need to take proper care of yourself if you want to be effective and avoid burnout.

Enforce your rules

All too often, small classroom issues can escalate and cause more stress than they need to. By enforcing your classroom rules, you keep your students under control and can actually teach and meet goals. Letting your students know what’s expected of them makes your job easier and more fun.

Craft interesting lessons

Continue to make your job fun by creating interesting lessons for your students. They’ll be engaged learners and you get to do something unique in your class. Regularly change up your lesson plans so teaching doesn’t become boring and tedious.

About the Author

Dr. Floyd Williams is an education leader who has decades of experience in his field. He's worked in many positions within education, starting as a reading and math teacher and eventually moving all the way up to the position of superintendent. Floyd recognizes that students must be the focus of a school district and it is through them that true success is achieved. Students need educators who are dedicated to helping them make the most of their potential and work tirelessly toward their goals. Dr. Floyd Williams also feels passionately about the importance of diversity and helping those students that are disadvantaged get the tools they need to truly succeed. He believes mentorship is an incredible tool as well as continuously learning how to be a strong leader.