1. Realize and accept that YOU are the only person who can fix YOU.
You have to decide to make a change. You have to go all in. You hold all the cards. You have the power. You are in control. It's all YOU.2. Identify your problem.
Ask yourself what is causing you to feel so burnt out? Are you working too many hours? Are you struggling with keeping all the balls in the air (family, school, life)? Is it behavior/academic needs of your students? Is it a conflict with a teammate, coworker, or administration?Whatever it is, you need to identify it and give it a name. Try to pick one main issue, but if you need to pick 2, that is fine. You can't address all your problems at once so I recommend focusing on your biggest challenge. Often times, when you focus on your biggest stressor, smaller stressors seem to work themselves out during the process.
3. Create a plan to address your problem.
You might think you have no idea how to fix your problem and overcome teacher burnout. However, that is most likely not true. As a teacher you are a professional problem solver. Deep down, you may already know what you need to do to fix your situation...it just might not be easy or a quick fix.-Maybe you need to create clear boundaries between school work and family.
-Maybe you need to set aside a non-negotiable 30-minute period each day for yourself so you can workout, or do something you enjoy, something that fills you up (totally unrelated to school).
-Maybe you are in a toxic, negative work environment and you need to get out.
-Maybe you need to give yourself the gift of sleep and go to bed by 10 pm on school nights.
Some of these issues are easy to fix, others are not as easy. Whatever it is, there is a way to fix your situation. It may not happen overnight. My journey took 5 LONNNNNNG months but it was worth every second of waiting and wondering.
4. Reverse engineer a plan to reach your goal.
Start with then end in mind. Ask yourself what will you have to do to reach your goal or fix your situation.Write down each step, no matter how big or small. Give each step a date or timeline in which you want to accomplish it. Find pockets of time in your day or week to take baby steps towards each big step.
Don't be afraid to take a mental health day once or twice a year to give yourself time to focus on you and take those bigger steps towards your goal. Now, obviously I'm not saying take a mental health day to get your nails done and go out to lunch. Schedule an eye doctor or dentist appointment, or a yearly check-up in the morning, but take the entire day off. After your appointment go home and read a book that fills your head with tons of positivity or take some larger steps towards your end goal. We all know teachers need a mental health day or two (sometimes more depending on your class!). I know so many teachers who retire with over 100 sick days. That is CRAY-CRAY!!!! Don't be one of those teachers. Take time to fill yourself up before you get too run down.
5. Invest in YOU!
Making a change is not easy. It takes guts and it is SCARY! You cannot and should not do it alone. Invest in help in the form of books, self-care, and maybe even a few sessions with a life coach or counselor.When I was on my journey I actually invested in all 3 things. For the first time in my life, I made a conscious preplanned effort to do things for ME. I read several amazing books that filled my mind, heart, and soul with the positivity and confidence I needed to overcome my situation. (My all-time favorite book was The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon. If you haven't read it, go order it NOW!)
https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Bus-Rules-Fuel-Positive/dp/0470100281/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514496910&sr=8-1&keywords=energy+bus
I got a manicure at least once a month. I also hired a life coach who helped me figure out exactly what I needed to do to reach my goal.
You might be thinking how did getting a manicure help you reach your goal? It didn't. But it was a form of self-care that made me feel good and helped me relax and I also had pretty nails for 2 weeks. #winwin
Manicures might not be your thing. That's okay. Find your thing and make a conscious effort to treat yourself to it a certain number of times per month. Actually put it in your calendar and plan it into your budget. (My husband and I are Dave Ramsey followers.) You are worth it!
6. Just do it!
Pull the trigger on whatever it is you need to do to fix your situation and don't look back. 5-4-3-2-1, JUMP! If you want to make a big change in your life you have to take a giant step (or leap) outside your comfort zone.My "Just Do It" moment was clicking submit on my online application for the teaching position I was applying for. It was one simple little click, but yet that click could (and would) change my life and teaching career. I closed my eyes and clicked submit and in an instant I was on my way to changing my life for the better.
7. Be patient and give yourself grace.
Change does not happen overnight. Change is also not easy. It is a journey and every journey has twists, turns, potholes, delays, and detours. Be prepared for them. Expect them. Most of all, and hardest of all, embrace them. A year from now when you look back on your journey you will most likely see why those bumps had to happen. I can almost guarantee that IF those bumps hadn't happened, you would not be where you are in a year from now. Be patient and stay the course. Find someone to confide in during this journey who will encourage you and also bring you back down to reality when you start to go a little crazy (because you probably will). 😉I was blessed to have two very dear, kind, sweet #teacherfriends who were my rocks throughout my entire journey. If it weren't for them I would definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, 100% not be where I am today. Find yourself a teacher bff with whom you can share your situation, struggles, and feelings of burnout. Be selective with who you choose. Surround yourself with people who will build you up, people you aspire to be like, people who spread positivity and happiness. Find a bucket filler, not a bucket dipper.
If you feel like you don't have someone you can reach out to or confide in, please reach out to me. I am here for ALL teachers. I want all teachers, including YOU, to know you are loved. You are amazing at your craft. You are special to your students. What you are doing everyday in your classroom with your students matters and is important. Most of all, you are important too. 😘
Teacher burnout is real and it is hard. It has cost so many teachers their careers, but it doesn't have to. We can stop that right now. If you or someone you know is going through teacher burnout please comment below. I beat teacher burnout and you can too! 💗
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