Looking after yourself: Tips for teachers

It has certainly been a challenging few years for everyone – teachers included. With the return to relative normality, it has never been more important for individuals to look after themselves and their colleagues. Here are a few suggestions about how best to do that.

1. Ask for help if you need it.

This can be very challenging for some but will often lead to positive outcomes. Naturally, staff are directed to ask for support from their line managers, but if you feel uncomfortable doing that, then try to find another colleague that you can open up to – many schools have a dedicated individual on the management team. If you cannot find someone appropriate to talk with inside the school, your school may have a counsellor or trained professional on hand who can provide support. Some schools offer helplines and all education workers can access the Education Support Partnership Helpline on 08000 562 561. Social media can also be an excellent source of support with #Edutwitter a great place to start. However, beware of the pitfalls of social media where positivity and negativity can both be easily found.

2. Offer help when needed.

Being able to support others is a great way to build a community in your department or school. There are always times when others also need help and if you can support them, they will undoubtedly come to your aid when needed. Helping others, for example, through volunteering, has been proven to support our own mental health and make individuals feel better about themselves. Even just talking about mental health can help. A culture of open conversations regarding mental health helps foster a supportive environment for everyone. Starting those conversations can be challenging, but they might make a tangible difference to someone who is struggling. Crucial to all of this is, of course, often just genuinely listening.

3. Plan ahead.

The academic year is like a rollercoaster. Whether it is the start of term, exam time, assessment deadlines or the Christmas play, there are many ‘pinch points’ in the year. Once you have worked in a school for a year, it becomes much easier to look ahead and plan for these. Careful planning and early preparation can help avoid those particularly stressful weeks. Letting your line manager or SMT know of concerns in advance may allow for deadlines to be flexed or extra support to be provided. Schools also have quieter times – the holidays for most of us (although these can be very busy for many support staff) and a small investment of time in these can pay dividends later in the year – although working throughout time off is also not a sustainable long-term strategy. Of course, despite all the careful planning in the world, there will always be many life and school events that you cannot plan for.

4. Find some ‘me’ time.

Everyone needs to have something they enjoy doing outside of school and the list is many and varied. For some, relaxation is key, whether through mindfulness, reading for pleasure or watching your favourite boxset on Netflix. For others, downtime looks like pulling on trainers and hitting the trails, riding a horse or dancing. Whatever your self-care strategy is, what is crucial is finding the time to be present in the moment and enjoy it. Ensure you can leave work behind, perhaps by dedicating some protected time to yourself or turning emails off your phone for a day/morning/hour.

5. Stay connected.

Although it may not always seem like it (like when you're marking a large pile of books in dark November), there is life outside of school. Staying connected with friends and family is important to allow for an objective view of life and keep perspective. Some people try to organise a weekly date night with their partner, go away once a month with friends or visit their parents/children once a term, and putting it in the diary can be quite therapeutic. Social media and video calls make it even easier to stay connected to friends all over the world, and making the effort nearly always feels worth it – even at the end of a long day or week. Allowing time for relationships and ensuring you have the space and time to be present and enjoy them is essential for a balanced life.

6. Be positive, kind and thankful.

Research suggests smiling not only makes you and others happy but that a positive mindset can even add years to your life. While such generalisations may be debatable, most would agree that a positive outlook and sense of humour can certainly help in and outside of the classroom. Being kind to those around us is a mantra echoed to pupils across the nation and staff should certainly set a good example. Being kind to yourself is probably the most challenging and important piece of advice many of us could take on board. Taking the time to thank others, either through a short email, post-it note or even better, ‘live’ is always time well spent and helps brighten up everyone’s day.

As all teachers will know, giving advice is always easier than putting it into practice yourself. So good luck and here’s to a long and happy career in education.

About the author

Mike Lamb is Director of Staff and Pupil Wellbeing at Hurstierpoint College, West Sussex. A previous head of year and housemaster, Mike has developed and designed whole-school wellbeing programmes and believes these should be at the heart of every school.