The academic year is slowly beginning, September is almost here, and everyone – teachers, students, and pupils alike – might already be feeling a bit nervous. For many students, moreover, this will be a step into the unknown that they may not feel sure about at all. How to cope with the stress that can appear with the start of school? Can teachers also work with it? And why is it necessary to tell yourself that nothing is definitive? In this article, we bring several tips on how to work with stress, how to set boundaries, and when it is already appropriate to seek help.
On September 1st, the doors of most Czech private and public schools will open. The bell will ring and will not stop ringing for another 10 months. At the thought of school, some children's stomachs will knot up, while others can't wait to return.
Stress is not just about children
The start of school is not only hard for children. It's a big stress and teachers can also feel nervousness. For some of them, it is the first time they will be standing in front of a classroom full of children. If this is also your case and you would like to get rid of the stress, I have both good and bad news for you:
- Stress is a natural part of life and among other things, it can show us that we care about the given matter. Stress can be worked with, it can be mitigated, and it can help us with better self-reflection.
- You will probably always feel a mild amount of stress.
Study by Johnson et al. (2005) proved that teachers have a very low level compared to other professions well-being, which is associated with a higher risk of developing anxiety, depression, or even burnout syndrome.
The teaching profession requires a wide range of skills and abilities at every level. A “great” teacher should have a perfect command of the subject they teach. In addition, however, they should be well-versed in developmental psychology, act as a mediator among children, and be emotionally intelligent, patient, entertaining, creative, adaptable… and many other qualities that make this profession more than just mindlessly reading from textbooks.
But how can a teacher be great when they are running out of strength?
Study Emeljanova et al. (2023) emphasizes the importance of teachers' ability to work with stress and apply strategy, which will help them cope with it. Short-term stress It really isn't that big of a deal, so if a teacher feels a little anxious before school starts, it's probably nothing serious. The problem arises when occasional stress turns into chronic, which is persistent and very difficult to deal with.
How Can We Manage Stress?
These tips apply not only to teachers, but for everyone, for those who feel they are experiencing more stress than is healthy. The American Psychological Association (2024) offers the following tips:
1) Identify your stressors
In other words, you need to figure out what’s triggering your stress. Is it a lack of time to complete a task? Not enough rest? An unpleasant coworker? Or do you need to dig deeper? It will be hard to deal with your stress if you don’t know what caused it.
2) Deal with stress, but in a healthy way
Some people cope with stress by smoking, eating unhealthy food, or simply bottling up all their emotions until they eventually explode—they start crying or swearing. There are also healthy strategies – exercise, pursuing your hobbies (reading, baking, music), or spending time with people you feel comfortable with.
3) Maintain your boundaries
It’s okay to say NO. And it doesn’t have to sound aggressive, unpleasant, or selfish. You don’t even have to use that word. All you need to do is set some rules, let others know what they are, and stick to them. For teachers, such a rule might be, for example, not responding to emails after 5:00 p.m. or not dealing with work at all on the weekend.
4) Time to Relax
Make sure to set aside time during the week—no exceptions—to relax and focus on yourself. In most cases, work can wait. Sometimes stress stems simply from not being well-rested enough. It’s important to have enough sleep, but also time for yourself during the day.
5) Learn to Relax
Just because you set aside time for yourself in your calendar doesn’t mean you’ll actually use it. Don’t listen to the voice in your head that whispers that you have to be doing something all the time. Try to devote at least a few minutes to yourself every day. For example, some mindfulness techniques.
6) Talk to your supervisor
Talk about how you're feeling. It's possible that you'll be able to make some changes quite easily that will help relieve your stress.
7) Get support
It could be your family, your partner, or a professional (psychologist, therapist). In the case of chronic stress, burnout syndrome or other worsening mental health issues, it is certainly advisable to address everything comprehensively and under professional guidance.
Going back to school can be stressful. But the problem arises when intense stress doesn't let up even in October. Don't be afraid to talk about it, get enough rest, and if you feel that it is not getting better, definitely seek help. If you don't know who to turn to, practical information and contacts for professional help can be found on our website. www.nevyhasni.cz.
