Teacher Burnout can seem nearly impossible to avoid, especially these days.
In fact, did you know that according to a study done by the Middle-Class Dad, 41.3% of teachers new teachers leave the profession within the first five years?
If I am completely honest, this was me as well my first couple of years teaching.
I felt overwhelmed, frazzled, and like the passion I once had for teaching was gone.
If this sounds like you, then I want you to know you aren’t alone.
Today we are going to cover:
- What is Teacher Burnout?
- Why is Avoiding Teacher Burnout Important?
- The #1 Reason Why You Are Continuing to Burnout
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What is Teacher Burnout?
According to Psychology Today, burnout is “a state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism, detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment.”
In other words, teacher burnout is the lack of motivation, energy, and passion to teach.
Teacher burnout can feel devastating and like it is impossible to avoid.
That’s why avoiding Teacher Burnout is so important. Scroll to the next section to find out more.
Why is Avoiding Teacher Burnout Important?
As mentioned earlier, 41.3% of teachers new teachers leave the profession within the first five years.
This is devastating to the profession as many teachers leave due to teacher burnout.
Many teachers felt like the profession was not what they expected and that teaching was detrimental to their overall health.
That is why it is important to avoid teacher burnout at all costs.
On the other hand by avoiding teacher burnout, you are ensuring that you:
- I Will have the energy to continue in the profession
- Can find joy in the profession
- Can be the teacher you always dreamed of being
- Feel fulfilled by your role in education
#1 Reason Why Teacher Burnout Continues
Have you ever felt like you have tried every single self-care hack you can find and you’re still burned out?
That’s because of this number 1 secret which is:
Not knowing the difference between self-care and self-indulgence.
According to Accepting Therapy, “self-indulgence is often a spontaneous action, motivated by emotional decision making and does not have a long-term positive impact.”
In other words, self-indulgence is the act of doing something to make yourself feel better that won’t help you long-term.
For instance, during my 1st year of teaching, I used to have this “Secret Stash of Chocolate.”
Okay, let’s be honest I still do.
Well, whenever I was having a hard day I would grant myself a piece of chocolate.
While there is nothing wrong with a piece of chocolate (in small increments), I found myself thinking that this was my form of self-care.
I thought that doing things like eating chocolate, occasionally getting my nails done, and getting my hair done once a year was self-care.
But what I didn’t realize was that I was participating in self-indulgence.
RELATED:
- The Secret to Getting Out of Teacher Burnout With Brittany Blackwell
- First Year Teaching: 7 Strategies to Avoid Teacher Burnout
- Unlock the Secrets on How to Find Joy as a First Year Teacher with Emily Person
So What is the Difference Between Self-Care and Self-Indulgence?
As we mentioned before, self-indulgence is the act of doing something to make yourself feel better that won’t help you long-term.
Self-care, however, is an intentional and consistent action to nourish your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
The key components here are “intentional” and “consistent.”
In other words, self-care is a consistent habit that has long-term health benefits.
An example of this would be to take a walk every day on your lunch or to journal 3 things that went well at the end of each school day.
If you want to learn more about self-care, download the “Ultimate Self-Care Strategies” for Self-Care ideas that you can do in 5 minutes or less.
How Does This Help Prevent Teacher Burnout
Now that you know the difference between self-care and self-indulgence, take a couple of minutes and reflect on what you are doing for self-care right now.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What am I doing right now for self-care?
- How consistent am I at doing these things?
- Are these actually self-care or self-indulgence?
While reflecting on what we are doing for self-care we can start to realize what is working and what is not.
You can also discover that some of the activities that you thought were self-care are just indulgences.
Now that you know where you stand with self-care, download this “Ultimate Self-Care Guide” and pick 3 self-care ideas you are going to incorporate to help prioritize self-care.
Overall
I hope this article helped you realize the difference between self-care and self-indulgence.
In this article we talked about:
- What is Teacher Burnout?
- Why is Avoiding Teacher Burnout Important?
- The #1 Reason Why You Are Continuing to Burnout
All in all, avoiding teacher burnout can be a struggle. However, with the right mindset, you can start the journey of self-care with the right tools and supports.
Don’t forget to download this free “Ultimate Self-Care Guide” to get more ideas on consistent self-care habits you can incorporate even as a busy teacher.
One last thing before you go. I want to remind you that self-care is a journey NOT a destination.
Keep going and remember:
“We are stronger together.”
Happy Teaching!
