Teacher Wellbeing: Why It's So Hard to Switch Off From Teaching and What Can Help

I remember on my first day of my PGCE the Head of School gave his speech and said teaching is one of those jobs that you can easily do 24 hours a day if you let it and it isn't helped by being a job that can be difficult to leave behind at the end of the school day.

You might walk out of the classroom, drive home and finally sit down, only to find that your mind is still at school. Perhaps you're replaying a conversation with a parent, thinking about a child who was struggling, wondering whether a lesson went as well as it could have or mentally working through everything you need to remember tomorrow. Even when the working day is technically over, teaching can continue taking up a great deal of headspace.

If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. Teacher wellbeing isn't simply about remembering to take a break or finding time for a relaxing activity. For many teachers, one of the biggest challenges is the mental and emotional load that comes with caring for and being responsible for so many people every day.

Why is it so hard for teachers to switch off?

Teaching involves much more than the tasks on a to-do list.

Throughout the day, teachers make countless decisions, respond to children's different needs, manage behaviour, adapt plans, communicate with colleagues and parents and hold a huge amount of information in their heads.

There is also the emotional side of the job. You might be worried about a child. You might be thinking about whether you handled a difficult situation in the right way. Perhaps a conversation with a parent has stayed with you, or you're feeling frustrated about something you can't change.

These things don't always disappear when the school bell rings. Sometimes, the difficulty isn't that you're physically doing too much after work. It's that your mind hasn't had a chance to stop.

Teacher stress isn't always obvious When we talk about teacher stress, it's easy to imagine someone who is completely overwhelmed or close to burnout.

But stress doesn't always look like that.

You might still be enjoying teaching. 

You might be managing your workload and doing everything you need to do. 

From the outside, everything might look fine. Yet you may notice that:

- You find yourself thinking about school throughout the evening.

- You struggle to relax because you're mentally planning tomorrow.

- A difficult conversation keeps replaying in your mind.

- You feel guilty when you aren't working.

- You regularly put your own needs after everyone else's.

- You feel tired but can't seem to properly slow down.

- Small things feel more difficult than they normally would.

These can be signs that you're carrying a lot, even if you wouldn't describe yourself as being at breaking point. Teacher wellbeing matters before things reach a crisis point. You don't have to wait until you're completely exhausted to notice that you need more support or space for yourself.

What can help when teaching is taking up too much headspace?

There isn't one answer to teacher wellbeing, and there certainly isn't a single routine that works for everyone. What helps will depend on you, your circumstances and what is contributing to your stress.

However, there are some gentle places to begin.

1. Notice what you're carrying

When everything is busy, it can be surprisingly easy to move from one day to the next without stopping to ask yourself how you're actually doing.

If your mind feels full, try asking yourself what is taking up the most space.

Is there a particular situation you're worrying about? Something you're avoiding thinking about? A conversation you keep replaying? Or is it simply that there are too many things competing for your attention?

You don't necessarily need to solve everything straight away.

Sometimes naming what you're carrying can make it easier to understand why you feel the way you do.

2. Remember that not every thought needs an immediate solution

Teachers are used to solving problems. When something needs attention, the instinct is often to think it through, work out what to do and find the next step. But some thoughts don't need to be solved at nine o'clock at night. If you notice yourself repeatedly going over the same situation, it can help to recognise that your mind is trying to process something rather than actually finding a useful answer.

You might write it down, talk it through with someone you trust or simply remind yourself that you can return to it when you're in a better position to decide what to do.

3. Give yourself a transition between school and home

Switching off doesn't always happen automatically. A small transition between work and home can help you notice that the school day has finished. This doesn't need to be an elaborate wellbeing routine! It might be a short walk, changing your clothes, listening to something on the journey home or taking a few quiet minutes before moving into the next part of your day. The point isn't to do it perfectly. It's simply to create a little space between being at school and everything else you are outside of teaching.

4. Ask yourself what you need, rather than what you should be doing

Teachers hear plenty of messages about what they should do to look after their wellbeing. Exercise more. Meditate. Get enough sleep. Set boundaries. Make time for hobbies. Many of these things can be helpful, but another list of things to do can sometimes become one more source of pressure.

A more useful question might be: What do I need right now?

The answer may be rest (I used to be the queen of naps!). It may be a conversation. It may be time alone. It may be practical help. It may be permission to stop trying to be productive for the evening. Your needs are allowed to change.

5. Talk about what's going on

Teaching can sometimes feel surprisingly isolating, even though you spend your days surrounded by people. You may be carrying something that you don't feel able to discuss at school, or you may simply not want to bring it up with colleagues.

Having space to say out loud what's been going round and round in your head can be a relief in itself. Sometimes another person can also help you see a situation from a different perspective or notice something that you haven't been able to see while you're in the middle of it. Teacher wellbeing isn't about becoming endlessly calm!

A difficult week at school isn't necessarily a sign that you're doing something wrong with your wellbeing. Teaching can be demanding. There will be busy times, challenging situations and periods when you feel more tired than usual.

The aim isn't to become someone who never feels stressed, worried or overwhelmed. It's about noticing when you're carrying too much and giving yourself opportunities to pause, reflect and get support.

You don't have to earn that support by reaching breaking point first. Sometimes you don't need therapy, a major change or another course to work through.

You might simply want some space to pause and talk through what's going on with someone who understands the realities of teaching. That's why I created The Teacher Exhale, a personalised 48-hour WhatsApp wellbeing experience for teachers. If teaching has been taking up more headspace than you'd like, or you simply feel that you'd benefit from having someone pause with you and help you make sense of what's going on, you can find out more about The Teacher Exhale here.

A note about support

The Teacher Exhale provides mindfulness, coaching and wellbeing support. It is not therapy or crisis support. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or need clinical or therapeutic support, please seek help from an appropriate qualified professional.