BURNOUT IN TEACHING AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
BY : NEIL THOMAS demand too much of us physically and mentally . This is often the feeling we can get as a teacher in the middle of a term , and you may feel like you are drowning with the list of things that need to get done .
A key indicator of whether you are feeling stressed or burnt out is to identify whether you can imagine the endpoint and , once you get things under control , you know you will feel better . Within our profession , this often ties in with you getting to the end of a half-term , knowing that you will have a one or two-week holiday to relax and , ultimately , get on top of things before starting the new term , fresh .
In July 2020 , my wife and I said goodbye to our home for the last nine years . We had enjoyed every moment of our experience in Doha , but the time had come to return home to the UK . So , why would I decide to leave one of the World ’ s leading schools ?
BURNOUT is the reason why .
So , what exactly is burnout ?
Since 2019 , when it was reclassified by the WHO , it is said that :
“ Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed .”
Self-awareness
Following my experience of burnout and sharing it on the Teach Middle East Podcast ( https :// teachmiddleeastmag . com / talking-teacher-burnout-withneil-thomas /), I often get asked how teachers can recognise if what they are experiencing could be burnout .
My first bit of advice here is to recognise that you need to be self-aware of your situation . Everyone ’ s position will be slightly different regarding what is causing you to feel the way you do .
Understanding your own basic needs in what makes you less stressed during a working day is a good start . Is it getting in early to be prepared ? Is it ensuring you go for a cup of tea every break time ?
You might also want to identify some coping mechanisms , such as having a strong morning routine or deleting your work email system from your mobile device , so you are ‘ away ’ from work when you walk out the door at 3:30 pm . Setting up boundaries between home and work is essential , but evermore difficult since the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many of us to work from home .
The difference between Burnout and Stress
The second aspect of understanding if you are heading towards burnout is understanding the difference between burnout and stress .
The difference between these two terms was explained to me by Katie Phillips of KDP Coaching and Consulting ( https :// www . kdp . coach /). Katie , who has been through burn out herself ( albeit in a different industry ), identifies that stress is generally about things feeling too much . Stress is often caused by too many pressures that
Burnout is significantly different .
When you are burnt out , you feel that whatever you do is not enough . Burnout leaves you feeling empty inside and often devoid of any motivation for something that you once loved . This was certainly the case for me .
I had loved every moment of my 14- year teaching career until January 2020 , but suddenly I didn ’ t want to go to work , I didn ’ t want to attend meetings , I didn ’ t care , and I constantly had a high level of anxiousness . I was mentally and physically exhausted . This exhaustion wiped me out , I was no good to anyone , if I ’ m honest , and was constantly on the verge of crying . Looking back on pictures of me during this time , I looked pale , withdrawn and not very well .
The critical point for me in identifying that I was burnt out , as opposed to stressed , was that I didn ’ t have any hope within my work context and couldn ’ t see the situation changing for the better . In February 2020 , and after many conversations with my supportive Principal , Dr Steffen Sommer , and my family , I decided I needed to leave Doha College for the sake of my mental health .
12 Term 3 Apr - Jun 2021
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