How to manage stress

How to manage stress

As a teacher, you know that stress is an inevitable part of your role. Papers pile up, students act out, and lessons need to be planned. In conjunction, you may have to adjust to curriculum changes. 

While stress is unavoidable, you can learn how to respond to it and manage it. Here are some tips which could help you with stress management, both in the classroom and at home. 

Establish what stresses you out:

Make a list of things and situations that leave you emotionally drained, and come up with two ways to reduce the stress for each. The next time they occur, use them as an opportunity to practice your stress-reduction techniques and make notes if they worked.

Know your priorities:

Be clear about your priorities and practice saying no to others. It’s completely ok to say “No, thank you” when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Setting up healthy boundaries can make a real difference to your levels of stress and exhaustion as it will stop you from taking on too much or committing yourself to work that doesn’t align with your priorities.

Be imperfect:

Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. Perfection doesn’t exist and setting up your expectations too high will make you feel more stressed and unmotivated. The fact is, you’re already “enough” and you’re doing the best you can. 

Talk about your feelings:

Don’t bottle up your anger and frustration. Express your feelings and discuss them with others. This could mean addressing difficult situations with colleagues, having an honest chat with a friend or your head teacher, or speaking to a specialist. Feelings are heavier when you carry them alone. 

Look after yourself:

Take care of yourself with healthy eating and daily exercise. It can be a gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling. You can also try meditation, yoga, pilates or dance classes. Find what suits you best and make it a habit.

Spend time with your family or friends to bring balance to your personal life and get quality sleep to manage your stress levels. 

Ask for help: 

Yes, it’s ok to ask for help.  No matter how long you’ve been teaching, or how great you are, there will be times when you need help, plain and simple. Asking for help doesn’t make you weaker, it makes you better at your job. 

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” - Anne Lamott