Stress can be an inevitable part of a teacher's life. Piles of exam papers always stack up, student performance always plays up on the mind, and lesson plans need to be pre-planned. Club that with the emotional see-saw of personal life.  While these instances are unavoidable, how a teacher responds to stress can spell the difference between a long-term, rewarding career, and one that is cut short because of burnout. If stress is not handled or addressed the right way, it can turn into chronic issues like anxiety or depression. When it comes to school life, it is not just the students who experience the stress of adhering to a stringent routine every day. Teachers also face the brunt of working under extreme pressure every day. However, stress can be handled correctly with the right strategies. On Teachers' Day, an expert shares effective stress management tips for teachers.

Stress management tips for teachers

Apart from our parents, if there is someone who can help us evolve and grow to become a better version of ourselves, that person is always our teacher. From helping us excel in academics to teaching us life skills, they are all-round gurus for us. As per the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, issues like stress, burnout and anxiety are on the rise among teachers these days.

Don't underestimate the importance of sound mental health for teachers. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

So, here are some effective stress management strategies for teachers from school psychologist Geetika Kapoor:

1. Breathe deeply

The classroom environment can easily trigger sensory overload. Before you even realise it, your heart rate starts to increase, you break into a sweat, and your mind starts running a marathon every minute. Breathing deeply should not just be a small part of your morning routine but also your day-to-day life. When you sense these symptoms in your body, breathe deeply. Deep breathing will help lower your physical stress response and help regain control. You can also try the 4-7-8 breathing technique where you have to inhale for 4 seconds, hold it for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. As per Frontiers in Psychology Journal, this deep breathing technique can have a positive effect on a person’s anxiety and stress levels.

2. Acknowledge the stress

Stress can be acknowledged both positively and negatively. It is how you view your stress that can make or break the situation for you. Learn the embrace the stress in a constructive way to prevent long-lasting physical damage. Adopt a solution-oriented approach, and always be on the lookout for solutions whenever you come face-to-face with a challenging situation. Stay positive in every circumstance and have belief in your abilities to be able to deal with anything and everything with grace.

3. Embrace imperfection

When you work with co-workers, you fall into this never-ending trap of comparison and perfectionism. If you always believe that you are in competition with every colleague around you, and you have to perform better, you will be in a state of constant stress. If you catch yourself falling prey to this kind of thinking pattern, then fight back. Know that you are always enough, and you deserve all the credit and love for the service you offer every day.

4. Learn to manage your emotions

What do we do when we experience physical pain? We look out for ways to heal the wound and not make it worse, right? Then why do we not adopt the same approach while dealing with a failure or mistake? If there was a fiasco at work or things did not go as planned, instead of digging deep into the emotional rut, find ways to break the negative thought patterns. Try distraction techniques by indulging in some other work like a creative hobby, reading a book during the break, or listening to a podcast that can help you think logically after a while.

5. Practice gratitude

We can either whine about our issues in our profession or we can shift our perspective to a positive one by seeing those challenges as opportunities to move in a new direction. Whenever you are facing a crisis at work, be it any, look for the small things that went right that you can be grateful about. Open up all your senses, and enjoy every moment of your day knowing that the same time will never come back. Move forward with whatever resources you have in hand, and take advantage of what your job offers you at the moment.

Better organizing and planning can go a long way in keeping your sanity in check, dear teachers. Image courtesy: Shuttertsock

6. Work smarter, not harder

Teachers often confuse feelings of weariness and burnout with hard work. Working hard is never supposed to deplete your energy, leaving you feeling drained and on edge. Be smart with your work. Find ways to delegate some of your work, or invest in tools to make performing work easier.

7. Seek help, when needed

If everything in your challenging profession is getting to your head, then it is okay to seek professional help. Asking for help will never make you sound weak, rather it will only make you better at your job.

8. Build meaningful connections at work

Whenever we bond with someone at a deeper level, our body produces oxytocin, a chemical that helps repair our heart. You always do not have to be at the receiving end of criticism or failures, stepping forward to help someone else produces the same effect. Teachers are always givers who breathe intelligence into their students. However, they can even foster meaningful bonds with their colleagues to feel connected and secure at work.

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