Teachers’ Day: 8 Tips for Managing Teacher Stress

Stress can be an inevitable part of a teacher’s life. Piles of exam papers always pile up, student performances always take their toll on the mind, and lesson plans need to be planned in advance. Add to that the emotional rollercoaster of personal life. While these situations are inevitable, how a teacher responds to stress can mean the difference between a rewarding and long-lasting career and one cut short due to burnout. If stress is not managed or addressed properly, it can turn into chronic issues like anxiety or depression. When it comes to school life, it’s not just students who experience the stress of having to follow a rigorous routine every day. Teachers also face the burden of working under extreme pressure every day. However, stress can be managed properly with the right strategies. On Teachers’ Day, an expert shares effective stress management tips for teachers.

Stress Management Tips for Teachers

Apart from our parents, if there is anyone who can help us evolve and grow to become a better version of ourselves, that person is always our teacher. From helping us excel in studies to teaching us life skills, they are all-round gurus for us. As for International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthProblems like stress, burnout and anxiety are on the rise among teachers nowadays.

Here are some effective stress management strategies for teachers, provided by school psychologists. Geeti Kapoor:

1. Breathe deeply

The school environment can easily trigger sensory overload. Before you know it, your heart rate starts to increase, you start to sweat, and your mind starts to run a marathon every minute. Deep breathing should not only be a small part of your morning routine, but also of your daily life. When you feel these symptoms in your body, take a deep breath. Deep breathing will help you lower your physical stress response and regain control. You can also try the 4-7-8 breathing technique where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. As per Frontiers in Psychology JournalThis deep breathing technique can have a positive effect on a person’s anxiety and stress levels.

Read also: The 6 Best Breathing Exercises to Fight Headaches

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2. Recognize stress

Stress can be recognized in both positive and negative ways. It is how you view stress that can make a difference for you. Learn to embrace stress constructively to prevent lasting physical damage. Take a solution-oriented approach and always be on the lookout for solutions whenever you are faced with a difficult situation. Stay positive in all circumstances and believe in your ability to be able to face anything with grace.

3. Accept imperfection

When you work with colleagues, you fall into this never-ending trap of comparison and perfectionism. If you always believe that you are in competition with every colleague around you and that you have to do better, you will be in a constant state of stress. If you find yourself falling prey to this type of thinking pattern, then take action. Know that you are always enough and that you deserve all the credit and love for the service you provide every day.

4. Learn to manage your emotions

What do we do when we feel physical pain? We look for ways to heal the wound and not make it worse, right? So why don’t we take the same approach when we face failure or a mistake? If you’ve had a fiasco at work or things haven’t gone as planned, instead of digging deep into your emotional rut, find ways to break negative thought patterns. Try distraction techniques by doing some other work like a creative hobby, reading a book during your break, or listening to a podcast that can help you think logically after a while.

5. Practice gratitude

We can complain about our problems in our profession or we can change our perspective to a positive one, seeing those challenges as opportunities to move in a new direction. Whenever you find yourself facing a crisis at work, whatever it is, look for the little things that went well and that you can be grateful for. Open all your senses and enjoy every moment of your day knowing that the same moment will never come again. Move forward with whatever resources you have available and take advantage of what your job offers you at the moment.

6. Work smarter, not harder

Teachers often confuse feelings of tiredness and exhaustion with hard work. Working hard should never drain your energy, leaving you exhausted and nervous. Be smart about your work. Find ways to delegate some of your work or invest in tools to make it easier to get the job done.

7. Seek help when needed

If everything in your demanding profession is going to your head, then it is okay to seek professional help. Asking for help will never make you look weak, it will only make you better at your job.

8. Build meaningful connections at work

Whenever we connect with someone on a deeper level, our body releases oxytocin, a chemical that helps repair our hearts. You don’t always have to be the recipient of criticism or failure, stepping up to help someone else has the same effect. Teachers are always givers who instill intelligence in their students. However, they can also foster meaningful bonds with their colleagues to feel connected and secure at work.