It is natural for us to try to move on from tough times and focus on what we can improve now.

The height of the pandemic was nearly 2 years ago and we just want things to be normal and to forget about what we all went through. But it’s not quite as easy as that. The ramifications of the fallout do not just fade away within a couple of weeks.

Those years were traumatic for many of us. Trauma is an emotional shock following a deeply distressing, disturbing or stressful event. The reality is that there are psychological effects which can lead to symptoms which can wear us down over time. If you have a stressful job on top of that, you may be at risk of anxiety, depression, exhaustion and burnout.

The World Health Organisation WHO has defined burnout as an official diagnosis. Teaching is one of the professions at the highest risk of burnout. As a teacher, there are several risk factors which specifically pertain to your profession. 

High Workload 

Not only does your teaching mean long hours extending into your personal time, but because of the high sickness rate, you are probably finding yourself having to cover for colleagues. Stress and overwork have become normalised in the education sector.

A too-high workload leads to exhaustion and an inability to function both at your workplace and also in your personal life. Coffee and pep ups are only a temporary prop and a plaster over the real root cause. There is a high risk of constant anxiety and depression developing as the pressure you are under is relentless with no end in sight.

Research by the Teacher Wellbeing Index 2022 shows that 59% of teachers are not confident in disclosing unmanageable stress or mental health issues to their employer. This lack of psychological safety adds another burden on your mental wellbeing. 

Unrealistic Targets & Lack Of Support 

Many teachers are faced with the impossible situation of focusing on hitting unrealistic targets and finding that this leaves inadequate time to nurture the development of pupils. Education is vital in directing the fabric of our future society, but an increasing number of teachers see it as being eroded. Added to that, in the last year, research shows that 60% of teachers do not feel valued and that leads to disillusionment.

Being acknowledged for a job well done is essential for our mental wellbeing. When disillusionment sets in it can lead to apathy and a loss of faith in everything around you. It can leave you feeling that you have no control over your career and that can lead to a sense of frustration, hopelessness and depression. Are you torn between staying in a job you love but knowing that it is ruining your health? 

Lack Of Work/Life Balance 

When your job is impacting your life outside of work, your personal life can deteriorate. Insomnia is now a huge problem and if you are missing out on regular, good quality sleep, you are also missing out on the vital repair of your body which takes place during sleep. A lack of work/life balance can result in poor eating habits.

If you do not regularly take time for a lunch break or go for a walk, your mind does not have a chance to clear down and your body can hold stress in your muscles leading to tension headaches, poor digestion, joint pain and other unpleasant symptoms. You may be constantly anxious or have low moods and a feeling of apathy. These symptoms are an indication that you could be at risk of adrenal fatigue. 

It is therefore vitally important to be proactive about preventing yourself from burning out. Recovery can last for years and the impact can last a lifetime. I work with clients who have high-stress jobs and haven’t been able to get out of bed for several weeks, who have recurring illnesses due to a low immune system or suffer from high anxiety and insomnia. Intervention is very important before you reach this point. 

What Can You Do Right Now To Prevent Burnout? 

1. Assess your circumstances and rate each of your roles and tasks on a scale of 1 – 10 as to how stressful you find them. This will give you a good overview of your job. 
2. Put your stressors in order of intensity and then drill down into each one asking yourself the following questions: 

• What is the root cause of this stressor? 
• Is there anything that is within my control currently which I can do to drop my stress levels with this? 
• How does this stressor make me feel and how long does the feeling last? 

Becoming self-aware of your routines of thinking and feeling is the first step to taking the right actions for yourself to protect your future from burnout. 

Reference: Teacher Wellbeing Index 2022 

Ildiko SpinFisher – Burnout Specialist – Business Consultant Psychologist www.retuningyourbusiness.com