Teacher burnout during the pandemic — Top tips on how to cope with it

4 min readJul 27, 2021

How to cope with burnout in times of crisis

Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, all of us have experienced a wide range of difficulties and obstacles, from losing a loved one to experiencing depression. Teachers starting the 2020–21 academic year have also been dealing with many new challenges that could contribute to burnout and stress.

According to BBC, the proportion of teachers who reported themselves as stressed increased by almost 20% from July to October 2020. If you wonder how common this condition is, based on a Teacher Burnout Assessment Tool that surveyed more than 12,700 teachers, burnout unfortunately affects almost 65% of educators.

Teacher burnout and stress

According to the American Psychological Association, burnout is “physical, emotional, or mentalexhaustion”. Some of the symptoms and signs of teacher burnout include “decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others. It results from performing at a high level until there’s stress and tension, especially from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload.”

It is easy to imagine how all this extreme fatigue can apply to current educators facing new academic requirements and expectations, such as socially distanced classrooms or completely online education.
In a recent study, Tim Pressley examined the main factors that could contribute to teacher burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. He found that the main predictors of this condition are COVID-19 related anxiety, anxiety about teaching demands, lack of parent communication and administrative support. It’s important to know these details in order to provide support for teachers during these difficult times. We also came up with a few ideas that could reduce teachers’ stress levels and can be implemented in their daily routine.

How to cope with and prevent burnout?

Focusing on connections and “social support bubble”

It is completely normal to feel lonely because of social distancing and lock-down rules. Unfortunately, teachers running fully online classes are extremely vulnerable to the sense of isolation, hence it is important to seek out connections with others. Emailing or ringing up colleagues and friends to arrange a virtual meeting is a good place to start with.
Last year showed us all how creative we can be when it comes to online meetings. The ideas are endless: Organising a dinner cook-along, a pub-style quiz, a movie night or simply a casual chat with a glass of wine. The best thing about virtual activities is that we connect with anyone in a couple minutes, without having to leave the comfort of our own home.

Slowing down

It is important to pause and identify what we are exactly feeling when thinking that we are on an emotional roller-coaster. Although it sounds easy, slowing down can be difficult especially with rushing thoughts and a busy schedule. However, taking five deep breaths every few hours is achievable for most of us. Making sure to dedicate an hour to hobbies and your favourite leisure activities can help with being present and in the moment.

Journaling

The power of writing about our feelings and thoughts have been long recognised by psychologists. There is no need to write long pages, just a few sentences that come to mind before bed might help to let go of those thoughts that have been causing anxiety. What is particularly great about journaling is that we can jot down things that we would not disclose to anyone else otherwise.

Exercise

We all know the positive effects of exercise, so why don’t we do it more often? Even with only ten minutes between two (online) classes, standing up, moving your legs and stretching out your back and neck can make a huge difference.

Many of us took up yoga and walking at the start of the pandemic which are also great ways to de-stress and get in some movement throughout the week. Plenty of live online classes are available that help to feel part of a community and combat the feelings of loneliness.

Seeking out professional help

We cannot emphasize this enough, but it’s okay to not be okay. Nobody should ever be embarrassed if they feel that they cannot cope with your feelings or burnout alone. Psychologists and other professionals are trained to provide support and a non-judgmental environment where one can express their concerns. The following links provide an overview about how to reach out for professional help:

Discover how 1HOUR could provide support

With volunteers skilled in a wide range of subjects and areas (robotics, programming, languages etc.), we offer online interactive sessions for students that complement their learning in school. Not only pupils, but teachers could benefit from our programmes and services. Get in touch with us at info@1hourlife.org or learn more at https://1hourlife.org.