5 Ways to Improve Work-Life Balance for Teachers

October 5, 2022

Is there such a thing as work-life balance for teachers? Teachers have a lot on their plate these days. How do we manage to keep up with everything? Find out here!

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Teachers are underpaid, overworked, and often we feel that we are doing too much. We also face many other challenges in our jobs, including dealing with students who misbehave, dealing with parents who complain, and trying to teach kids how to learn. My goal here is to give you quick wins that you can start today in order to help improve the tight balance between work and life.

5 Ways to Improve Work-Life Balance for Teachers

1 | Take Time Off

If you work as a teacher, chances are you spend more than 40 hours per week at school. That means you probably need to take some time off during the summer months. In fact, teachers should take one day off every seven days. This will help them stay fresh and avoid burnout. I made it a point years ago when I had my first child, that when I was home, I was not working. Did this make me a little stressed? NO, because I made sure that I got what I needed to get done while I was at work so that I could leave work at work and enjoy my time with my family.

2 | Set Boundaries

You might think that having a good work-life balance is impossible when you’re a teacher. After all, you’re expected to teach students all year round. However, there are ways to make sure you still have a life outside of work. First, set boundaries. Don’t let yourself become so stressed by the workload that you forget to enjoy other aspects of your life. Instead, try to find a healthy balance between work and play. This ties back into leaving work at work. There is a never-ending to-do list that we teachers place upon ourselves and sometimes it is necessary, but other times it is not. Make sure you are not stretching yourself too thin when you do not need to. This is a good time to start practicing saying no.

3 | Be Flexible

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the workload, take some time off. It’s okay to ask for help. There are plenty of people who would love to help you out. You also do not have to grade everything…just saying! I make to-do lists but I break them up into immediate, due soon, and would be nice. That way I know what I should focus my attention on before any other tasks. This has really helped to cut down on the overwhelm.

4 | Don’t Overwork Yourself

You might think that you need to work harder than ever before to make sure that you’re doing a good job as a teacher. However, there are ways to improve your work-life balance without sacrificing quality. Here are five tips to help you achieve better work-life balance.

1) Not everything needs to be graded

2) Set Boundaries With Students

3) Create a Schedule

4) Get Help From Other Teachers

5) Be Honest About What You Need

5 | Have Fun.

If you feel like you’re burning out, find ways at home to have fun and unwind. As much as we all hear that teaching is a calling, it is also a profession and not our entire identity. There’s no shame in taking a break and tuning in to what makes you happiest in life. In fact, teachers who take breaks often report feeling more refreshed when they return to teaching. So don’t take home those grades at night and don’t plan over your weekend…this is sure to lead to burning out fast.

I hope you found some areas in this article work-life balance for teachers that will help you be the amazing human and person you already are!

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