Tag Archives: Teacher Burnout

Educators, How Well are You?

Educators struggle with fatigue, stress, and burnout. You are pushing through and faking it until you make it. When someone asks you, “ how are you?” Do you respond with, “I am well?” That’s a standard response, but how well are you? Before you answer that question, find out more about the eight dimensions of wellness.

First, let’s discuss the definition of wellness. According to the National Wellness Institute, “wellness is an active process through which people become aware of and make choices toward a more successful existence.”  So, educators, as you discover the eight dimensions of wellness, self-reflect on your processes and choices to ensure your wellness is a priority. 

Eight Dimensions of Wellness

  1. Physical wellness is all about your body. Your physical wellness depends on eating healthy food, getting enough sleep, and exercising.
  1. Emotional wellness is about your feelings, attitude about life, and having support systems to get you through personal or professional challenges. Your mind is a terrible thing to neglect.
  1. Intellectual wellness is about your brain and learning new knowledge. Many people don’t realize that intellectual wellness is also a priority. Educators use their intellectual power throughout a school day. Therefore, you need a healthy brain to make crucial decisions and shifts daily. Also, using your intellectual power requires learning new skills, teaching and learning strategies, or the latest research.
  1. Social wellness means you have positive and supportive relationships in your life. Both professionally and personally, your relationships can be a part of a robust support system. 
  1. Spiritual wellness focuses on your soul, inner self, and faith. Whether one is religious or not, we all have a spiritual side. Also, spiritual wellness can include meditation to renew ourselves and have inner peace. 
  1. Environmental wellness is about our living conditions on earth. Living and working conditions affect our health. Whether at home or work, we want to live free of harmful chemicals and toxins. 
  1. Occupational wellness refers to our career, job, and workplace. Are you happy about your professional path? Is your workplace physically, emotionally, socially, or environmentally healthy?
  2. Financial Wellness – If the money is funny, your financial health can harm your overall wellness. Worrying about money, savings, or bills is a health hazard. Financial wellness eases many burdens.
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How well are you? Your wellness is your responsibility.

Focus on Your Wellness

How will you answer the question, “How well are you?” Use these eight principles of wellness to reflect and then respond.  As you focus on your wellness, remember these seven principles:

  • Wellness is holistic
  • The self is the only true healer
  • Wellness is your responsibility
  • Positivity is empowerment. Negativity strips you of power and control.
  • Wellness is an active process. Don’t wait for good health to come to you!
  • Wellness is outcome oriented
  • Prevention eliminates the need for treatment. 

Wellness is a Personal Responsibility

Making changes to focus on your wellness requires setting firm foundations. The first foundation is hope. Believe you can, and then set goals. Wellness is a personal responsibility, so take action toward your goals. It would help if you had support on your journey. Lean on others for encouragement. Advocate for yourself by communicating your needs. Get good information, then make decisions. Lastly, find meaning and purpose in your life. Identify what matters most to you.

Educators, take control of your wellness. Many say they are tired of hearing the term self-care; however, we cannot depend on school districts to provide needed support. So, we must understand our responsibilities when it comes to our well-being. Remember, wellness is an active process. Don’t wait for good health to come to you!

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Are You Married to the Job?

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I Said, I Do

Becoming a school principal was a big goal of mine. In 2009 I was handed the keys to the building. Finally, I said I do! Excited and full of ideas, I accepted the job and said my wedding vows to my new spouse. My job became my new husband. What no one told me was that the vows meant sickness and health and possibly close to death! Becoming a principal means being married to a job that doesn’t come with much reciprocity. Are you married to the job?

I guess that I shouldn’t say the job doesn’t come with much reciprocity. The majority of educators don’t do the job for the money. We do it for the students, families, or communities. Many of us enjoy working with our colleagues and collaborating with our peers. These are all reciprocal relationships. However, sometimes it feels as if it is a thankless job.

Burnout in the Educational Field

You all know that burnout is at an all-time high in the educational field. The statistics are everywhere, so I won’t display any data in this post. The information is accessible to Google if you want to dig deeper. You also know that teaching and leading during a pandemic is extremely difficult and has presented many deficiencies and inequities in our educational systems. Many educators press onward and don’t think of their physical and mental health despite all of these things. You take your marriage vows to your job seriously and forget to think about your health.

Stroke Mode

I am going to be vulnerable and tell you a story about my health. During my final year as a principal, I nearly had a stroke. The stress of the job was literally killing me. First, let me say that God watched over me with His grace. One morning I awoke with the worst headache of my life. I popped a couple of ibuprofen while talking to a friend and colleague. I told her about my headache, and she encouraged me to go to the emergency room. Despite her encouragement, I decided to drive to work. During my drive, I felt horrible and my vision blurred, and my thoughts were jumbled. Determined to not miss work and all of the things on my to-do list, I continued driving. 

Walking in the pharmacy, I was very nervous. My friend called me about five or six times on my cell phone. She pleaded with me to at least stop and got my blood pressure taken at the nearest Walgreens. I kept saying and in my mind that I was okay; however, I did stop in the pharmacy for a blood pressure check. What I didn’t know yet was that I was in stroke mode.

A Wake-Up Call

The pharmacist took my blood pressure, and it was 199/120. She said, “Oh my God! Let me take your pressure on the left arm!” The blood pressure reading was 195/118. The pharmacist asked me if I wanted to go to the ER. I said no, I would go to work, close my office door, and relax for a few minutes. Maybe, the numbers will go down.  I was married to the job, and it was about to kill me. Looking back on the event, I was not being very smart. How many times have you chosen your career over your health?

Needless to say, I was not using my common sense and nearly paid for it with my health and life. I did go to work that day, but my assistant principal and building engineer made sure that I saw a doctor. Also, that day my physician told me to choose to keep living or let the job kill me. It was a wake-up call. Being married to the job was not a great option anymore. It was time for a legal separation or divorce.

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Warning Signs

Educators, we think we are invincible even when the body and mind say something differently. Frequently, our bodies give us warning signs like headaches, stomach issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, eye twitches, and more. Many educators go to work when ill or mentally drained because the kids need us. Your body needs you to slow down and get healthy. Every teacher, principal, and all school personnel is replaceable with another warm body. You don’t want to be a cold body that is six feet under. Are you married to the job instead of your health and wellness?

When you feel ill or stressed, it’s okay to take a day off.

Thinking back to the warning signs I received during my tenure as principal, I have a list of things. The first year of marriage to the job, I broke out in hives all over my body. This happened the day before standardized test scores were to be announced. I was so nervous and anxious about whether or not scores and the school ranking dropped. When I reflect on the district’s pressure on school administrators about test scores, I still want to throw up! 

Ignoring the Symptoms

Next, I gained over 20 pounds because I did not eat healthy meals. The stress was so intense that sipping a glass of red wine was a way to self-medicate. At one point, my significant other asked if I had a drinking problem. I said no, but it made me pause. My blood pressure and cholesterol increased to the point where medication was prescribed. 

Sleepless nights became a regular thing because I could not turn off my mind about what the students and schools needed. There were many threats of losing the job because the test scores weren’t increasing fast enough, or I wasn’t disciplining or pushing out enough seasoned teachers. Lastly, the emotional abuse from the politics and district administrators was overwhelming. It was relentless and caused lasting damage to my health. 

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Take Care of Yourself

Can you resonate with any of my examples? Count the times you have experienced signs of illness, and you ignored it. How often have you gone to work sick with the flu, a cold, or pneumonia? You are probably married to the job in sickness and health. Can you deny that you are married to the job? 

Look, I am not telling you to divorce your job. However, if the weight of the job is slowly destroying your health, it is time to find balance. Every year educators contemplate leaving the profession. That’s okay because you have to do what is best for you. Whether you are a teacher or school administrator, the most critical priority is to take care of yourself.

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Is it time for a career change

Educators is it Time for a Career Change?

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Career Change

The school year is almost finished. Normally, the summer is a time for educators to refresh and reflect. As you know, the education profession is not easy peasy and  202o and 2021 have been no less than traumatic. The pandemic, virtual learning, hybrid classes, or balancing both virtual and in-person learning are all enough to send some teachers over the edge.   All of these issues lead to a serious question. Educators, is it time for a career change?

Teacher stress and burnout continue to be prevalent across the United States and worldwide. Loud whispers of teachers and principals leaving the professions fill many ears of district administrators. School districts wonder how to keep teachers and principals from walking away from the profession. Educators are becoming more vocal about their well-being and why they’re willing to leave the field. Many are ready for a career change. Here are a few reasons for their departure.

Low Pay and Lack of Benefits

Low pay and lack of benefits are reasons for a career change. Many teachers work two and sometimes three jobs to make ends meet. Plus, this year the COVID19 pandemic dumped more responsibilities on teachers.  We already know that many states do not adequately fund public education. Also, some states do not sufficiently support teachers’ pension funds. For many teachers, a raise is hard to come by. Even a cost of living raise is on teachers’ wishlist. Like doctors and attorneys, teachers must have a degree and state license to practice their craft.  Plus, think about how much of their money teachers spend on supplies and resources. Some educators begin to think about other possible job opportunities.

Lack of Respect

Another reason for a career change is teachers and school administrators do not feel respected. Many blame teachers for societal ills that they have no control over. Society relegates educators to many things other than educating students. During the beginning of the pandemic, educators were considered heroes. Parents realized how valuable we are when they had to teach their own children. Parents realized it is a big and difficult job. Then, the tide turned as the pandemic continued for many months. Suddenly, politics made educators into villains. Even before the pandemic, teachers played various roles as nurses, social workers, jack of all trades, disciplinarians, Miss Manners, and sometimes de-facto parents. They are all of these things while teaching kids how to read and do math.

Unachievable Expectations

Expectations and too many responsibilities are unachievable. Both cause stress and burnout. Consequently, educators are trying to leave the field and change careers. Politicians and others who’ve never taught set benchmarks and don’t provide the funding and resources to succeed. It’s all about the data and the numbers. It’s rarely about the children and their real needs. It is about standardized tests and school ratings. It’s time to look at more variables such as the social-emotional needs, socio-economics of a community, family structures, class sizes, etc.

Safety Issues

Safety played a big role during the pandemic. Normally, teachers worry about safety issues; however, COVID 19 took the worry to another level.  Now, educators worry about the traumatic experiences of students that occurred during school closures. Homelife for many students is not stable on a regular basis. Add a pandemic and school closures to disrupt students’ lives more.  Whether it’s a rural or urban school district, teachers and administrators always think safety first. Universities and colleges train educators to teach. A school building must be a safe zone or haven for the students and staff. All teachers only want to teach and not have anxiety about clean and healthy buildings.  When they feel as if they can no longer teach, it’s time for a career change.

Helpful Tips

Undoubtedly, many will see something that resonates in this post. You cannot take it anymore and are ready for a career change! Before you decide to leave the profession,  begin to prepare for new realities! The corporate world is vastly different than the education world. Here are a few helpful tips.  

A career change is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Photo by Hans-Peter Gauster on Upsplash.com

Look at your finances. Do you have money saved for a rainy day? If you don’t have a job lined up, how long can you survive on your savings?

Is your family supportive of your decision to change careers? If you’re single, then you only have one person to answer. However, if you have a spouse and children, you must consider how a career change affects your family.

Prepare for a Job Search

Prepare for a job search by thinking about your marketable skills. Educators, don’t underestimate yourselves. Your skillset is very high! Think about what you want to do and write a new resume. Network and communicate with anyone who may be able to support your search for a new job.

Be open to other things like pursuing a new degree or trade. For example, one teacher went to a truck-driving school. She learned to drive a truck, passed the test, and received her license. Now, she is on the road for a major trucking company. A science teacher enrolled in a nursing program. In 18 months, she received a nursing degree and now works in a hospital. Think outside the box and ponder the possibility of relocating.

While losing great teachers is not a good thing, sometimes a career change is good. Your sanity, physical and mental health are top priorities. You have various skills, experiences, and knowledge to share with the world. You can use your degree to become a professional consultant or become a corporate trainer. Becoming an entrepreneur is a great option, too. The possibilities are endless. Do you stay or go? It is all about you, so take the time to figure out what is best for you.

This is an update to a previous post from May 2018. 

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Additional Resources

Time Magazine

http://time.com/money/longform/teacher-pay/