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Recognise. Recover. Reset. A Guide to Beating Teacher Burnout

Updated: 4 days ago


Burnout is no longer the exception in education - it’s becoming the norm. Teachers and school staff are working harder than ever, often at the expense of their own wellbeing. The demands of the profession - emotional labour, workload pressures, and a constant drive for high performance - are

leading more educators toward exhaustion, disengagement, and poor mental health.


But teaching doesn’t have to be this way.


A proactive and practical approach can help school staff feel mentally well at work. Whether you're navigating your own wellbeing or supporting a team, this guide is designed to give you real-world tools, space for reflection, and a roadmap toward resilience.


Burnout in Numbers

Burnout among teachers is no longer a quiet issue hidden behind classroom doors. It’s real, it’s rising, and it’s impacting not just educators but also the entire school community. According to the UK Department for Education, over 40,000 teachers left the profession in 2022–2023 - around 9% of the workforce (DfE, 2023). That figure reflects not only the intensity of the role but the urgent need to address staff wellbeing.


Understanding Teacher Burnout

Teacher burnout is emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion resulting from prolonged stress - something far too common in schools today. Long hours, emotional demands, and the pressure to meet endless expectations are all contributing factors. Recognising burnout early is the first step toward reversing its effects.


As the World Health Organization classifies it: "Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed" (WHO, 2019).


A Structured Approach: Recognise, Recover, Reset

Our workshop How To Beat Teacher Burnout, written and delivered by Associate Trainer and Wellbeing Coach Joanne Lawrence, is structured around the three phases of burnout - Recognise, Recover, and Reset.


Each phase provides a framework for understanding, addressing, and moving beyond burnout, with

practical strategies, peer discussion, and supportive reflection.


Recognise: Spotting the Signs

The first step in preventing burnout is awareness. Key indicators include:


  • Constant fatigue, even after rest

  • Growing cynicism or detachment from the job

  • Declining confidence and effectiveness


This stage is all about developing your ability to identify these signs early - both in yourself and in your colleagues. Noticing the warning signs can help you take timely, proactive steps? Download our Burnout Self-Assessment tool below to check in on where you are, and some tips to help keep burnout at bay.


Recover: Practical Tools That Work

Recovery is not about pushing through or simply ‘taking a break’. It’s about intentional actions that

restore balance:


  • Prioritising your physical health and creating space for rest

  • Reconnecting with your sense of purpose and joy in teaching and life

  • Establishing sustainable routines and personal boundaries


Try Energy Management, rather than time management - planning your week based on when your

natural energy peaks and dips. Try mapping your energy levels over the course of a week and use that data to plan your lessons and organise your tasks more strategically.


Reset: Build Long-Term Resilience

Recovering from burnout is essential, but resetting ensures you don’t fall back into old patterns. This

phase includes:


  • Making regular time in the school year to review your personal wellbeing strategy

  • Staying connected to your values and your professional ‘why’

  • Fostering a psychologically safe environment for open wellbeing conversations


School leaders play a crucial role in this. When leaders model healthy boundaries and prioritise self-care, it sends a strong message to the rest of the staff.


As education expert Elena Aguilar notes: "Resilience is not a trait that people either have or don’t have. It involves behaviours, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone" (Aguilar, 2018).


Daily Reset Practices

Building mini resets into your day can prevent stress from accumulating. Examples include:


  • 60 seconds of focused breathing or stretching

  • Emotional check-ins (“Name it to tame it”)

  • Sharing gratitude with a colleague


These small actions can create a big shift in mood, energy, and outlook when done consistently.


To find out more about the workshop, email our Associate Trainer and Wellbeing Coach Joanne


Written by Joanne Lawrence, July 2025



 
 
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