Teacher burnout is a real thing, and it can happen so quickly. Kindergarten teaching is one of the most important aspects of teaching and being a kindergarten teacher is a lot of work. You are not only teaching and preparing these kids for the future, you are also laying the educational foundation blocks that can most likely determine their performance in later years of school. You work on their academic, physical, and social development. It is very challenging but also very rewarding. You need a lot of patience and love for children to succeed in this part of teaching. However, you can easily burn out from the challenges of this job. This is why I have come up with this guide to help you with a few ways you can avoid getting burnt out as a kindergarten teacher.
As a kindergarten teacher you realize that you often worry about each student, what goes on in their life, and how good or bad they are performing in the classroom. This kind of mental stress is unhealthy and can lead to teacher burnout, so it is crucial to identify several signs and deal with it.
There are several signs associated with kindergarten teacher burnout and some of them include:
Anxiety
You constantly experience a negative feeling that makes you feel like you are not doing enough and might never do enough. What are you doing to help navigate your anxiety?
Overwhelm
You are constantly trying to figure out how to add more to your work list every day. You take on too much and end up performing poorly on all. I’m quite sure this makes the top of the list for teacher burnout.
Fatigue
This leads straight to exhaustion and there is no way to stop it. No matter how much you want to fight it, you are tired to your bones, and you just want time to be put on hold for you.
Dealing with all of these at the same time means you have gotten to a point where it is safe to say you are burnt out. However, there are still ways you can prevent these or deal with them to make you a happier and more productive kindergarten teacher.
Focus On Relationships
Spending a lot of time with family and friends is a great way to take time away from work and its distractions. Go on trips with friends, or attend gatherings and family events. This a great way to relieve all the stress that comes from work. Spending time outdoors is great, but spending time outdoors with friends and family doing nothing but just playing and having fun helps you prevent and work through burn out.
Embrace Uncertainty
It is great to always remind yourself that you have done the best within your power. Stop being so uncertain of yourself that it begins to work against you. Let go of everything undone and find comfort in everything done.
Exercise
Exercise not only stretches your muscle but also helps relieve tension from your mind. One of the best ways to get exercise for a kindergarten teacher is yoga. The body stretching poses in yoga are very beautiful but also very relaxing. This helps fight against all the tension and stress built from the challenges as a kindergarten teacher.
Love yourself
It is not selfish to want to take care of your needs and love yourself adequately. Focus more on yourself. It’s okay to say “no” every now and then. You can love your job, and most times, enjoy the challenges that come with it, but your job is not everything you are–there is more to you. Personally there is so much more you need to be doing for yourself, too. Endeavor to never neglect yourself while loving your job, because this is the shortest path that leads to kindergarten teacher burnout.
If you are currently experiencing burnout, I hope you get through it and that it makes you stronger. Applying these strategies will go a long way in preventing you from experiencing kindergarten teacher burn out and dealing with your needs as a person. Remember that self care is so important. You can’t give what you don’t have.
Have you ever experienced a teacher burnout? What are the strategies that helped you get through it?
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