9 Stress Management Strategies That Every Teacher Should Know
It is very common to experience stress as a teacher. There will be days when you will not be able to keep up with the momentum and demands of the students, either in a physical classroom or an online teaching platform. Stress is indeed one of the major cause of concern among the teaching professionals. However, it all depends on how you respond to the situation. Here are nine awesome strategies that shall help you manage stress effectively.
Embrace Stress
It is up to the teachers to embrace stress either in a positive manner, or in a negative light. According to health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, when an individual views stress in constructive ways, it results in their body responding in a different way. It will also help avoid long term physical damages.
Meditate Well
It is advisable to meditate well on a regular basis to avoid stress. Teachers can simply incorporate the 4 x 4 breathing technique to lower your stress level. Whenever you experience high levels of stress, breathe in deeply for four seconds, then exhale for another four seconds. Continue this process for 2-3 minutes for maximum impact.
Be Perfectly Imperfect
It has been observed that overly stressed people tend to possess the same trait – they try to compare themselves with others and hope to improve upon themselves. Hence, most working adults are found to be overweight. However, it’s time you realise that you are perfect with your imperfections. Hence, ignore your flaws which might hinder your professional growth.
Always Be Grateful
It is advisable to figure out the right opportunities that life offers every moment. Be grateful for your life, your profession and the work that you do. You should understand the importance and impact of your profession on the lives of students and conduct yourself accordingly.
Exercise Emotional First Aid
Do you hurt yourself after experiencing failure in life? Experts suggest that this act is as comparable as finding ways to make your wound worse. Indeed, we don’t do that when encountered with physical pain, then why do it when the pain is emotional? A two-minute distraction from monotonous tasks is all that you need to avoid digging into an emotional rut.
Accept Challenges
Not every day might be perfect for you. There might be days when the challenges might soar up extesively. Accept such challenges. On a tough day, you might not get to hear what soothes the ears. But the idea is to accept the challenges that come your way and figure out solutions with a positive mindset.
Work Smarter
After a tiring and hectic day, you might confuse up feelings of exhaustion and burn out with hard work. However, you should understand that working hard and performing good at work should not leave you feeling depleted. You should figure out ways to delegate or ease up some of your tasks.
Seek Help
Yes, you should never shy away from seeking help from your colleagues or even from your family members. At times, you might run out of ideas due to a mental block. During such moments, fresh ideas from people around you could do the work for you.
As a teacher, it’s important to find ways to relieve stress. One way to do this is to attend teacher professional development conferences. At these conferences, you can network with other teachers and learn new teaching methods. You can also learn about new education technology and resources. In addition, attending these conferences can help you stay up-to-date on education standards. As a result, attending teacher professional development conferences is a great way to relieve stress and improve your teaching practice.
Connect with People
Several pieces of research suggest that when you connect with people, your body tends to produce oxytocin. To elaborate further, oxytocin is a chemical that helps repair the heart. Small acts can help in the release of oxytocin, such as by seeking help simply, as seen above. Additionally, you should cultivate relationships with your colleagues and students.
Hence, these were nine best practices that a teacher can incorporate into their daily lives in order to avoid stress and burn out. These tips shall go a long way in helping reduce teacher stress effectively.
