Stress Awareness
So much of our focus on wellness in the education profession is around the issue of wellbeing. This is great, and undoubtedly useful when it comes to thriving in our jobs and our non-working lives. However, once preventative measures are no longer working to keep us calm, happy and healthy, both physically and mentally, we have to know what troubling symptoms to look out for before stress takes hold.
The good and the bad…
Stress impacts a huge number of teachers. Recent figures suggest that around 80% of the teaching force describes themselves as being stressed. The impact on the profession is immense. A teacher who is working within reasonable stress levels is more likely to be happy in their work and to enjoy and gain satisfaction from teaching. When the stress levels rise too high, the potential damage is immense.
We all need a certain amount of stress in order to function. Positive stress motivates us to get things done. But the important feature of positive stress is that it feels manageable. When stress becomes overwhelming, it significantly impacts our ability to work effectively and efficiently. Negative stress feels like excessive pressure and our ability to cope with some or all aspects of life becomes much diminished.
Being aware
It is so important to be aware of the ways in which negative stress affects you. This will be different from person to person so there is no reliable tick list to use to ascertain whether or not you are stressed to the point of harm. However, these symptoms are fairly common and are worth talking to your GP about:
- Emotional distress – this may manifest as panic attacks, volatile mood, depression, irritability, tearfulness and so on
- Digestive problems – heartburn, reflux, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome
- Tension – headaches, back and neck pain, migraines, muscle tension
- Raised blood pressure – watch out for headaches, nose bleeds and bloodshot eyes which can indicate that it is worth getting your blood pressure checked
- Heart palpitations – always worth getting these checked out as there are a number of possible causes
- Skin problems
- Sleep disturbance
- Eating problems – too much, too little, the wrong kind of food
This list is by no means exhaustive but if you find yourself experiencing any of the above, get medical advice as soon as possible. Those experiencing negative stress may also feel less enjoyment in life, they may find it difficult to concentrate, and have a sense of low self-worth. Anxiety can kick in, too, with a whole array of possible symptoms such as tension or feeling “on edge”, fidgeting, needing reassurance, worrying, sweating and light headedness among many others.
Being aware of how we are feeling emotionally and physically is key, but it can be easy not to give ourselves the time to even think about it when we are in the thick of the demands of negative stress. But knowing what we are feeling, and why we are feeling it, can help us to determine the very personal point at which good stress becomes bad.
Addressing stress
The first thing to do when you realise that you are experiencing damaging levels of stress is to talk to your GP about it. They can give you a check up and signpost sources of support in your locality. It is important to remember that many of the physical symptoms of excessive stress are treatable with rest, relaxation, maybe medication and talking therapies. There is no shame whatsoever in realizing that the time has come for some help. This is an important and positive step!
While there is no list of stress solutions that will work for everyone – we must all determine what works for us – these suggestions just might help to get you on track to a less stressful life:
- Be realistic: It is so important to be utterly realistic about what you can achieve in any given day, and to recognize that this will change from day to day. Some days you will be super productive and efficient and other days not so much. That is perfectly normal and human! But the nature of the job of teaching is such that we expect teachers to be fully functioning and at the top of their game each and every day. Do not expect super-human action from yourself every day. Be realistic about what it is healthy to take on and to do.
- Prioritise ruthlessly: Not everything has to be done today. Ruthless prioritization sees you spending more time on the tasks that will bring the greatest results and less time, if any, on those tasks that are not immediately essential for your work. You may be able to team up with a colleague, perhaps over planning, so that you each work to your strengths and do not both spend time on the same task. This kind of prioritization may help you to prevent work bleeding into time that should be reserved for relaxation and leisure.
- Banish perfectionism forever: Firstly, there is no such thing as the perfect teacher. How can there possibly be?! You do not need to strive for perfection in your work. But you do need to be able to stop work on a task when what you have done is good enough.
- Say “NO”: Obviously there will be many aspects of the job of a teacher that are non-negotiable. But there will be some tasks that you can say “no” to. And that is OK. “Not this time, but do ask me again in the future”, “I can do that, but I will need to drop this task in order to do it”, “I am not able to take that on at the moment” are all useful phrases to use.
- Take time out: If you feel that negative levels of stress are taking hold, it is very important to stop and take stock of your situation. Take a day to pause and assess your physical and mental state. It is extremely important to seek help if you need it.
- Ask for help: There are many sources of help out there for teachers, but the very first step is to acknowledge that you need help. Sources of support include: family and friends, your GP, trusted colleagues, your union, Education Support, the Samaritans. Do not struggle on alone. I cannot stress this enough – do not struggle on alone.
Find out more…
- A Practical Guide to Teacher Wellbeing by Elizabeth Holmes, published by Sage, Learning Matters includes several chapters on understanding stress and the impact it can have on us - you can use the code UK22AUTHOR on the Sage website for a discount.
About the author
Elizabeth Holmes
After graduating with a degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading, Elizabeth Holmes completed her PGCE at the Institute of Education, University of London. She then taught humanities and social sciences in schools in London, Oxfordshire and West Sussex, where she ran the history department in a challenging comprehensive. Elizabeth specialises in education but also writes on many other issues and themes. As well as her regular blogs for Eteach and FEjobs, her books have been published by a variety of publishers and translated around the world. Elizabeth has also taught on education courses in HE and presented at national and international conferences.
