1. Reconnect to your purpose 

Researchers remind us that having a purpose in life is crucial for our health, longevity, and well-being.Try to do one thing each week that reminds you why you became a teacher in the first place. 

2. Adopt a growth mindset in your teaching

Individuals with a growth mindset believe that skill and intelligence are something that can be developed, perceiving success as a result from constant personal development. Here are some ways you adopt a growth mindset:

1. 1. 1. • See your challenges as opportunities.

         • Reflect each day on what you’ve failed at (and learned from).

         • Focus on rewarding actions, not traits.

         • Start using the word "yet" more often, instead of saying ‘I’m not very good at lesson planning’, change it to ‘ I’m not very good at lesson planning yet!’.

3. Set Boundaries

Without boundaries, being open and available can quickly turn you into being overwhelmed and overworked. Setting your own boundaries can include not answering emails after a certain hour in the evening, not working during your designated lunch hour or not lesson planning during the weekend. 

4. Make sure to reward yourself

Consider simple and practical ways to reward yourself whenever you reach a goal or sub-goal: take a walk in nature, soak in a warm bath, cook your favourite dinner or indulge in a massage.

5. Ask for help

There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you find yourself stuck at work. Asking for help, can help you manage your workload better, improve your productivity and efficiency as well as learn new things from others. If you have a teaching related query, contact your senior teacher. If you need help with materials, contact the library. If you need help with a specific teaching issue such as teaching mixed levels or teaching large groups, attend one of the many voluntary workshops offered by EDUA. 

6. Connect with other teachers

People with good connections are happier, less stressed, more engaged at work and even physically healthier. In the workplace, these links help us learn, become engaged in what we are doing and feel loyal to our workplace.Therefore, attending any of EDUA’s teacher events can help you achieve all of that!

7. Be efficient: Pareto's principle 80/20 rule

The Pareto Principle (or the 80/20 principle), named after the Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto; that 80 % of consequences come from 20 % of causes. Using this mental model, you could achieve more by focusing more on this 20 % of our work.You can use the 80/20 rule to prioritise the tasks that you need to get done during the day. The idea is that out of your entire task list, completing 20% of those tasks will result in 80% of the impact you can create for that day. So in order to get the most impact done, identify which tasks have the most impact and focus on those for the day.

8. Focus on your sleeping habits

During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. Develop good sleeping habits by: 

• Setting a consistent sleep schedule, by going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time. 

• Creating a bedtime routine such as having a warm bath or reading a book. 

• Avoiding blue light for at least 90 minutes before bedtime.

• Limiting caffeine and nicotine use during the day. 

• If possible, get some of that morning sunshine by going on a walk or just by simply soaking up the sun on a bench in a park. Sunshine regulates your circadian rhythm by telling your body when to increase and decrease your melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone associated with our sleep-wake cycle. So, the more daylight exposure you can get, the better your body will produce melatonin when it's time to go to sleep.

9. Build emotional resiliance

Emotional resilience refers to one’s ability to adapt to stressful situations or crises. Building emotional resilience can be achieved by the following:

• Adapting a self-care routine for your body and mind such as eating well, staying active and avoiding unhealthy coping mechanisms. 

• Managing negative thoughts by accepting that change and setbacks are all part of life, so it is important to maintain a hopeful outlook. 

• Build connections with others. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other teachers in the company.

10. If you get stuck, seek professional help

If you are struggling, and need more professional help, do seek support. Remember it is OK to not be OK.

Click here to access a list of English speaking therapists.