Finding your way back: Overcoming teacher burnout and rediscovering joy
There was a time when you stood in front of your class with a spark in your eyes, excited to teach, to connect, to make a difference. You prepared lessons with care, celebrated small wins, and saw potential in every student. But lately, something’s shifted. The passion feels distant. Tasks that once energized you now feel heavy. You catch yourself counting the hours until the end of the day, and then feeling guilty about it. You’re not alone.
Burnout has quietly crept into classrooms across the world, affecting educators of all levels. And while it might feel like you’re losing yourself in the process, the good news is: you can find your way back.
What is burnout?
The term “burnout” was first described by Freudenberg in 1974, but Maslach and Jackson defined it in 1986 as an adaptive disorder occurring in response to continuous workplace stress. This professional exhaustion encompasses intense physical, mental, and emotional depletion (Esteras, Chorot & Sandín, 2014; Fernet, Guay, Senécal, & Austin, 2012).
The World Health Organization has declared workplace stress the epidemic of the 21st century. Teachers, alongside healthcare workers, are among the professional groups most susceptible to burnout (WHO, 2019; Pinel, Pérez & Carrión, 2019).
Why are teachers particularly vulnerable?
In educational settings, burnout typically stems from:
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Overwhelming workloads
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Lack of support and recognition
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Disconnect between available resources and expectations
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Direct harassment from supervisors
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Conflictive relationships within the educational environment (Aris, 2009)
Burnout intensifies gradually, reaching a critical point after prolonged exposure to unfavorable conditions. Symptoms can manifest across multiple dimensions:
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Physical: Recurring headaches, throat pain, sleep disorders
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Mental: Decreased interest in professional activities, poor performance, absenteeism
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Emotional: Aggressive behavior, depression, excessive irritability, creating conflicts
Burnout doesn’t just affect the individual, it damages the entire school environment, educational quality, and student development.
3 practical strategies for preventing teacher burnout
1. Set clear boundaries
What to do: Establish specific work hours and create separation between work and personal life. Implementation:
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Use a separate planner exclusively for teaching tasks
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Designate a specific workspace at home
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Create end-of-day transition rituals
2. Practice deliberate recovery
What to do: Engage in activities that replenish your mental and emotional resources. Implementation:
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Schedule brief “microbreaks” during your school day
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Engage in physical activity between classes
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Practice gratitude journaling or breathing exercises
Research shows that short, frequent recovery periods significantly reduce burnout risk (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2015).
3. Build a support system
What to do: Create connections with colleagues who understand your challenges. Implementation:
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Establish a peer support group
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Partner with a “teaching buddy” to share resources
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Seek mentorship from experienced educators
Recognizing when you need help
Consider seeking help when:
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You feel emotionally exhausted before your day begins.
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You regularly speak negatively about students.
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You experience physical symptoms like insomnia or headaches.
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You feel emotionally disconnected from your work.
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You notice increasing cynicism in your interactions.
According to Maslach and Leiter (2016), with effective interventions, burnout symptoms can begin improving within months, though severe cases may require up to two years for full recovery.
If you recognize burnout symptoms, take action today. Start with one small change, whether it’s a brief daily meditation, establishing firm work boundaries, or connecting with a colleague. Teacher burnout isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s an occupational hazard in a profession that demands enormous emotional labor.
References:
- Navarro Corona, C. (2024, 24 septiembre). Cuando el aula quema: Cómo identificar y superar el burnout docente. Wedoed. https://www.wedoed.com/post/cuando-el-aula-quema-c%C3%B3mo-identificar-y-superar-el-burnout-docente
- Aris, N. (2009). Burnout syndrome in educators. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 7(2), 829-848.
- Esteras, J., Chorot, P., & Sandín, B. (2014). Predicción del burnout en los docentes: Papel de los factores organizacionales, personales y sociodemográficos. Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica, 19(2), 79-92.
- Fernet, C., Guay, F., Senécal, C., & Austin, S. (2012). Predicting intraindividual changes in teacher burnout: The role of perceived school environment and motivational factors. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(4), 514-525.
- Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.
- Pinel, C., Pérez, M., & Carrión, A. (2019). Relationship between work engagement and burnout syndrome: Protective factors of secondary education teacher health. Educare Electronic Journal, 23(3), 1-22.
- Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2015). Recovery from job stress: The stressor-detachment model as an integrative framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), S72-S103.
- World Health Organization. (2019). Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
