Changing the Culture of Teaching: How to Prevent Burnout

Teaching is a rewarding but demanding profession. We give so much of ourselves throughout the day, often running to the bathroom, printing materials during recess, laminating or grading during lunch, and managing multiple responsibilities at once. Then, after the bell rings, the work doesn't stop—there are engaging materials to create, assessments to design, and outcomes to cover. The expectations can feel endless. It often seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all.

In my early years as a teacher, I felt the pressure to constantly work overtime. During my first practicum, my mentor teacher would arrive 1.5 hours before the bell every day, and she expected the same from me. We were often the first ones in the building, even before the janitor. This habit wasn’t just routine—it was widely respected across the school. Teachers noticed when I was there early and saw me staying late, and it immediately established respect in the community.

By my first year of teaching, I found myself often staying until 5:30 or 6 p.m., sometimes longer. This was acknowledged by veteran teachers, and honestly, I felt valued. On top of this I made sure to attach my name to five or more extracurricular activities to embed myself into the school culture. This somehow included head coach of the junior girls volleyball team—a sport that I had played exactly zero times (I didn’t even know what a libero was). I was the ultimate yes man.

But in retrospect, the problem was clear: while that extra time helped me feel grounded and prepared, I was also falling into the trap of working harder, not smarter. It became about proving my worth through the hours I worked rather than the impact I made.

A New Approach: Work Smarter, Not Harder

If we are truly present and engaged during the school day, leveraging digital tools, and asking for support from colleagues, the overtime shouldn't be as extreme. Applying ourselves to one or two extracurricular activities that align with our passions can make it feel easier to add to an already heavy load. For example, starting a dance club, knitting club, or coding club that reflects your strengths and interests can reinvigorate you and make those extra hours feel worthwhile.

However, it’s crucial to preserve your mental health by setting personal boundaries. Here are some strategies that help me balance my workload without feeling overwhelmed:

• Arrive early, but be strategic: Arriving 20 minutes before the bell gives you time to prepare without needing to stay until late in the evening.

• Set limits on extracurriculars: Commit to one extra activity per term. Choose something that excites you, so it doesn't feel like more work—choose it because you’re passionate about it.

• Establish clear boundaries after school: Staying a little later one or two days for a grade team meeting is okay, but after that, head home and take a break from your day—chances are it was a full one.

Practical Strategies for Working Smarter

Working smarter doesn’t mean cutting corners; it means finding systems that reduce unnecessary stress and help you be more efficient. Here are some strategies that I have built over the last few years that have helped me find more balance:

1. Batch Planning: Plan a whole unit at once so you’re prepared and know exactly where you're going. A lot of stress comes from not knowing what’s next. By batch planning, you streamline your workload and reduce the chances of feeling overwhelmed.

✨Pro tip: Add your unit plan as you first Google Slide for quick and easy reference - can make adjustments and notes as needed✨

2. Plan Your Week Ahead of Time: On Thursday or Friday, I plan the entire upcoming week subject at a time. This allows me to go into the next week fully prepared. I use Planboard, a digital planning app that links everything I need for easy access and saves in a PDF for emergency sub plans. While I used to be a paper planner girl, the digital format saves time and energy.

2. Utilize Print Services: Avoid the printer rush and use print services whenever possible. It eliminates the time spent waiting at the copier and ensures that you’re using your time more wisely.

   ✨Pro tip: Create a blank Google Doc that is formatted for 8.5x11inches to create a workbook that coincides with your unit and lesson flow (take screen shots and add from multiple resources in a way that makes sense to you)✨

4. Self-Marking Assessments: Use digital tools like ZipGrade, Google Forms, and Quizizz for multiple-choice quizzes and assessments. These tools automate marking, giving me more time to analyze the data and determine next steps.

   
   

5. Effective Team Meetings: Keep meetings goal-oriented by setting a timer and using a shared year-long planning template helps streamline discussions.

   
   

6. Utilize AI: AI tools like ChatGPT have become an invaluable resource for me. I use it for lesson planning, creating rubrics, differentiating tasks, drafting assessments, and even for administrative work. It’s a huge time-saver and helps me stay organized and focused while continuing to push my teaching.

   
   

Setting Boundaries with Colleagues, Students, and Parents

One of the most effective ways to prevent burnout is to establish clear boundaries. Here are some tips on setting boundaries with different groups:

• With Colleagues: Have a conversation at the start of the year about your boundaries. Support each other to stay on track and respect each other's personal time. Respecting boundaries builds a culture of support and mutual understanding.

• With Students: Be transparent with your students about your needs. On the first day of school, let them know that during lunch, you need time to reset and won’t be available. Make sure they understand the importance of respecting your personal time.

• With Parents: Set expectations early on about your availability. I make sure to let parents know I’m available from 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and I set up an email auto-response to let them know that any emails sent after hours will be addressed during my working hours (yes, this means urning off your gmail notifications or better yet, deleting the app. I have spent at least a few sleepless nights overthinking a passionate parents email that could have waited until morning).

Overcoming Guilt and Advocating for a Healthier Work Culture

It’s easy to feel guilty when you start to set boundaries—especially in a profession that often celebrates overworking. But you are doing your students a disservice by burning out. Your value as a teacher is not in the number of hours you spend working overtime, but in the energy, creativity, and connection you bring to your students.

1. Shift Your Perspective: Rather than seeing leaving on time as slacking off, recognize that it’s a way of being a more sustainable, effective teacher in the long run. If you’re constantly tired and overwhelmed, your ability to engage with students suffers.

2. Lead by Example: When you start working smarter and respecting your time, others may follow. Share your strategies with colleagues—whether it’s using digital tools, batch planning, or setting boundaries.

3. Speak Up with Confidence: When you leave on time or resist the urge to say yes to an additional responsibility, do it without apology. Instead of saying “Sorry, I need to leave,” try “I’m done for the day—see you tomorrow.”

4. Support Your Colleagues: When you hear a colleague struggling with burnout, offer help. Share the systems or tools that have worked for you.

   
   

In the end, teaching is about making a difference in students' lives. You don’t need to sacrifice your personal well-being to be a great teacher. By working smarter, setting boundaries, and encouraging a shift in how we approach our work, we can create a healthier culture that benefits both teachers and students.

Remember: taking care of yourself is taking care of your students. This is a lesson that I wasn’t able to learn myself until I had a family of my own. Don’t let burnout be the cost of your passion for teaching.

Ponder This:

We would love for you to share your answers in the comments or simply take a moment to reflect yourself:

• What’s one small boundary you could set today to create a healthier work-life balance?

• If you could go back to your first year teaching self, what advice would you give them?

  
  

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