Remote Learning, stress and burnout: Simple Evidence-based strategies

The link includes these 6 evidence-based strategies that may be helpful for teachers during the uncertainties creating by COVID and remote learning.

This is not a specific treatment and these may work for everyone? So, should stress not be lessened by these strategies, then seek some professional help.

1. Deep, slow breaths
2. Positive social interaction
3. Laughter
4. Affection
5. A big ol’ cry
6. Creative expression

With continuing lockdowns, it’s important to remember the difference between these stressors (lockdown, maybe other pressures for each of us) and stress – which can affect the way we think and feel. When people faced stress or danger, they typically react with “fight or flight”. With something like the pandemic, there’s nowhere to run away from it, so maybe just stopping, thinking and using these simple strategies might help us all help each other? If not, take action and get the support you need to deal with all of this!

Just taking a breath, or giving and receiving a positive, we know can make a huge difference to how we all feel – same with laughter and affection. This seems so simple, yet easy to forget when we are under pressure. The pandemic, its uncertainty and the impact on teachers professionally has been enormous, with the potential added impact of personal and family issues.

Rather than just remaining stressed, about something we can’t escape from, just having people around us that care about us and are experiencing what we all are experiencing can help. Support that can make a difference includes being positive with each other, so we know we are all on the same side, we care for each other and we are all valuable people, both personally and professionally.

Just repeating, something small like taking a breath, a deep one; taking a 15 minute time out, a coffee break, laughing together, watching a movie, a hug or just a smile – this can all help us and help others. We can all be professional, and show we support each other in many little ways – ways that can make a big difference! Take care of yourselves and each other!