Learn how to cope with the challenges of teaching and maintain your well-being. Find tips from mentors on setting goals, planning, seeking support, balancing work and life, and reflecting and growing.

I agree with everything here. You have to be firm and at the same time tender, disciplined but flexible. If you set clear goals with your students and regularly visit them to check progress,you will find balance in your life.

How can new teachers manage stress and workload effectively?

Being a new teacher can be exciting, rewarding, and challenging. But it can also be stressful, overwhelming, and exhausting. How can you cope with the demands of teaching and maintain your well-being? Here are some tips from experienced mentors on how to manage stress and workload effectively as a new teacher.

1 Set realistic goals

One of the first steps to managing stress and workload is to set realistic and achievable goals for yourself and your students. Don't try to do everything at once, or compare yourself to others who have more experience or resources. Focus on what you can control, and prioritize the most important tasks and outcomes. Celebrate your progress and successes, and learn from your mistakes and feedback.

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2 Plan ahead and organize

Another way to reduce stress and workload is to plan ahead and organize your time, materials, and activities. Use a calendar, a planner, or an app to keep track of your deadlines, meetings, and events. Prepare your lessons, assessments, and resources in advance, and have a backup plan in case of emergencies or changes. Create a system to store and access your files, documents, and data. Use templates, checklists, and rubrics to streamline your work and save time.

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Linden Thorp

Empowering Women to Escape the Overwhelm, Build Financial Freedom & Secure Their Digital Futures| Speaker | Author | Mentor
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But don’t set everything in stone. You need contingency plans so above all you can respond to the needs of your students, each one of them.

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3 Seek support and guidance

You don't have to face the challenges of teaching alone. Seek support and guidance from your colleagues, mentors, and administrators. They can offer you advice, feedback, and resources to help you improve your practice and solve problems. You can also join a professional network, a community of practice, or a peer coaching group to share your experiences, learn from others, and collaborate on projects. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it, and offer help when you can.

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Linden Thorp

Empowering Women to Escape the Overwhelm, Build Financial Freedom & Secure Their Digital Futures| Speaker | Author | Mentor
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Absolutely. But it’s your unique relationship with your students that matters most! No one can give them what you can or guide them on their journey in your special way!

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4 Balance work and life

Teaching can be demanding and time-consuming, but it shouldn't take over your life. Balance your work and life by setting boundaries, managing expectations, and delegating tasks. Learn to say no to unnecessary or unrealistic requests, and communicate your needs and preferences clearly. Make time for yourself, your family, and your friends. Engage in hobbies, interests, and activities that make you happy and relaxed. Take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health by eating well, sleeping enough, exercising regularly, and seeking professional help if needed.

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Linden Thorp

Empowering Women to Escape the Overwhelm, Build Financial Freedom & Secure Their Digital Futures| Speaker | Author | Mentor
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I agree with everything here. You have to be firm and at the same time tender, disciplined but flexible. If you set clear goals with your students and regularly visit them to check progress,you will find balance in your life.

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Camila Dias

Pedagogical bilingual coordinator / Instructional designer/ Designer of thinking/ Bilingual and Biliteracy teacher/ B2 , C1, ICTBL (Cambridge) holder/ Mother of 3♥️
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Teaching is demanding and time consuming. In the beginning it is difficult to balance life and work. Planning lessons, worksheets, feedbacks, slides and class materials can be an exhausting task. A good idea is to create a folder or a hard drive to storage all your creations, and keep the record of it, so you can find it later, It will save time in the future. Another ideia is to choose a day of the week and work on the next week's demands, so you won't stop everyday to plan the next day, and on the other non-planning days, you only focus on teach and on the spare time, enjoy your life. To be a creative teacher, you need to rest and have a creative idle time.

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5 Reflect and grow

Finally, one of the best ways to manage stress and workload is to reflect and grow as a teacher. Reflection helps you identify your strengths, weaknesses, goals, and areas for improvement. It also helps you cope with stress, emotions, and challenges by making sense of your experiences and learning from them. You can reflect by writing a journal, recording a video, or having a conversation with a mentor or a peer. Growth helps you develop your skills, knowledge, and confidence as a teacher. It also helps you stay motivated, inspired, and curious by exploring new ideas, methods, and opportunities. You can grow by attending workshops, courses, webinars, or conferences, reading books, articles, or blogs, or trying new strategies, tools, or approaches in your classroom.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can new teachers manage stress and workload effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Set realistic goals

2 Plan ahead and organize

3 Seek support and guidance

4 Balance work and life

5 Reflect and grow

6 Here’s what else to consider

Mentoring

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How can new teachers manage stress and workload effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Set realistic goals

2 Plan ahead and organize

3 Seek support and guidance

4 Balance work and life

5 Reflect and grow

6 Here’s what else to consider

Mentoring

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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