Stress Management and Burnout in Teachers
Stress and burnout is some that teachers deal with on a daily basis. The problem for teachers is how to best deal with stress management and burnout. The first thing to focus on is what causes burnout. For most teachers it is a combination of excessive workloads, problems with students, and dealing with parents. Teachers need to have a better understanding of how stress management and burnout mitigation works in their lives.
Common Stresses in a School Environment
School can be a very stressful environment. Most at the school share common things that stress them out. One of the biggest causes of stress in schools is the parents of students. Teachers have very little control over the home life for their pupils and it can seem a daunting task to try to manage their own and their students stress levels when a support system is not in place away from the school. The key is to develop a fine line between stress management and burnout making sure that stress is not a primary focus, but also having proper management so burnout does not set in. Stress management and burnout need to be addressed, but not focused on. Focusing solely on stress management and burnout in a school environment can introduce its own level of stress. Teachers need to take time to deal with their students mental health and their own as well without letting this become another stress. In addition, environmental stresses can have a significant impact on the mental health of teachers and their students. Common environmental stresses include personal problems of people within the school, poverty, crime, peer pressure, and current events in the local community. Teachers need to have an effective stress management and burnout program in place to deal with these uncontrollable factors.
Steps To Take To Reduce Stress
The first step, as discussed earlier, is to have a plan for stress management and burnout. Teachers need to communicate this plan with their students so they are all on the same page. Acting on a plan without the input and approval of the students can lead to failed stress management and burnout. By properly communicating a plan with your students this can be avoided. Trial and error will be a part of this process and do not hesitate to try something, you never know what will work. Students react differently to stress and you may find that different management plans work better with different students. Do not try to force students and teachers into one plan, but rather find one that works best for both parties. Stress management and burnout can seem to be daunting when a teacher or student is in the middle of it, but with proper communication it can prove beneficial to everyone.
