It is common for teachers to go through a mid-life crisis in their field of career. Especially with the dynamic situations of the world where all educators are expected to be fluent in digital procedures of a school management system. No matter the changes, teachers have to remain positioned throughout, performing all their duties and adapting to the dynamic changes of the world. 

Meaning of Teacher Burnouts

a teacher who no longer finds satisfaction in the work they do is spread to be burnt out. It is not a once-in-a-while thing, when the job gets too much, and teachers feel there is no way out of this situation, they might be heading towards a severe burnout. Putting it formally, being burned out is a state where teachers undergo prolonged periods of exhaustion causing them to feel permanently fatigued towards their job, hampering their ability to teach and contribute to the educational field.

One common example of being burned out was put forward recently during the pandemic when teachers needed to become experts on digital platforms. using a learning management system might not be an as easy thing for teachers as it is for most students. Trying to use them continuously while being from an era where they had only traditional means to teach it’s certainly challenging, and these everyday challenges proved to be severe for some professionals who suffered from burnout. It is one of the main reasons why teachers quit this field of career and started investing in one that does not stress them out mentally and physically as much.

Signs of burnout

• Lacking the motivation to create plans for classes.
• Exhaustion before and after taking classes regularly.
• Lack of confidence and proper leadership.
• Inability to guide students efficiently due to lack of focus, and exhaustion build-up.
• Negative thoughts.
• Emotional instability causes teachers to be easily irritated during classes.
• Change in weight and appetite.
• Fatigue, sleep issues, and weakness.
• Anxious situations all through the day, with existential dread.

Causes

There are two kinds of factors responsible for teacher burnout; internal and external. Internal burnout mostly happens out of circumstances leading to personal life or the personal self, in particular. Educators with chronic diseases, financial problems, family problems, and emotional troubles can face burnout because the extra stress and anxiety come on them harder while managing equally demanding jobs such as teaching. Social problems are mostly external factors that are more circumstantial.

Here are some reasons why teachers could be burn out;

• Lack of proper administration and guidance from the institution.
• Demotivation or frustration from sessions due to dropping progress rate of students or fluctuations in student performance. 
• Improper schedules, lack of planning, mismanagement, and disorganized routines.
• Financial problems might cause teachers to look for other high-paying jobs causing a deviation from the teaching profession entirely.
• Emotional troubles, feeling undervalued, depressed, or in need of guidance about the profession.
• Difficulty in dealing with students and parents in social situations.
• Improper standardization of a teachers’ skills, causing them to be allocate in areas that are not of their expertise.

Educators should be aware of the reasons leading to them being burn out. Only after the reason has been identify will they be able to fix this situation. Addressing it in whichever way they seek conveniently. Below are list prevention methods.

Prevention

Take breaks

Taking a break is very important not only for students. But also for teachers because being involve in the educational field for too long fields hectic. This relaxation time allows teachers to take in their work environment better because of the clear separation between house and work. Teachers who constantly feel restless should limit their working hours as much as possible if it is causing them burnout.

Set boundaries

Teachers need to be reasonable with themselves and the students, taking deadlines seriously most of the time unless there is a situation that demands exceptions. Setting boundaries is good not only for the teachers but also for the students to maintain a level of professionalism, with the perfect amount of friendliness. Being strict with boundaries keeps teachers away from unwanted negativity and disrupts communications.

Seek professional help

Teachers should visit the school counselors for guidance and therapy sessions whenever they feel burnout creeping in. The professionals can approach a teacher’s problems tactfully and guide them to create a safe and comfortable space once again in teaching as a career.