How do we sustain our wellbeing while also working to be the best version of ourself for our students? I’ve never been shy about mental health, it has embedded itself within our society, and thankfully, it’s now being recognised and slowly destigmatised.
I’m an anxious human being, and I know I’m not alone. According to the Black Dog Institute, 52% of teachers report moderate to extremely severe symptoms of depression, compared to just 12.1% in the general population. For anxiety, the figures are 46.2% in teachers versus 9% in the general population, and for stress, 59.7% compared to 11.4% (Black Dog Institute, 2023). More than half the teaching population is being plagued by mental health challenges that directly impact their lives. The Black Dog Institute also noted that 60% of teacher absences are linked to mental health reasons (Black Dog Institute, 2023).
This echoes broader research in Australia, showing teachers experience higher stress than most other professions, often due to workload intensification, administrative demands, and classroom pressures (Acton & Glasgow, 2015; Riley, 2023).
Everyone loves a good “menty-d”, a day to reset, rest, and recharge. But for teachers, taking a day off is work in itself. Many of us would rather come to work tired, sick, and burnt out than organise supervision lessons for that day. And let’s be honest, that’s not something employees in most other workplaces are expected to do when they’re unwell.
If I call in sick, I contact my school and then write a 70-minute supervision lesson with detailed instructions for every class. Being a visual arts teacher adds another layer, there’s a real stigma around visual arts self-efficacy. Colleagues often tell me they panic when handed an art class to supervise, sometimes even trying to pass it on to another teacher (I’ve been told this first-hand on returning from an absence). Research shows that arts specialists often face undervaluation of their expertise by peers, which can add to professional stress (Klassen & Chiu, 2010).
So, to make life easier for supply staff, we don’t leave prac, we leave theory. That means writing lessons, organising materials, emailing instructions, and doing all of this before 6:30am, while sick and exhausted.
And here’s the kicker: more often than not, the lessons aren’t even used. Students might not do the work, or they’re told to do private study. For the absent teacher, there’s no control, we’re grateful someone has stepped into our class, but if assessment or important theory work doesn’t get done, it means reteaching, re-resourcing, and yes, re-stressing.
This impacts wellbeing alongside the guilt of not being there, and watching the inbox fill with student questions. It’s simply not sustainable. Research confirms that when teachers cannot recover from workload demands, burnout and attrition rise dramatically (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2018; Buchanan et al., 2013).
So, what do we need to do to gain better balance? This week, I made it my goal to practise mindfulness when I arrive at school. I’ve watched a 10-minute TED Talk, done some sketching, and even allowed myself to come in later than my usual 8am start. These small strategies help, studies show mindfulness and creativity boost resilience and reduce stress in teachers (Hwang et al., 2019; Emerson et al., 2017). A colleague and I even set a goal of 15 minutes of drawing before school to calm and prepare us for the day. We didn’t manage once…we were just too busy.
I love my job, and I hope this blog reflects that. But the truth is, teaching takes a toll on my wellbeing. To be clear, it’s not my school. I work in a supportive environment where wellbeing is valued, but even the most supportive school can only do so much. The expectations placed on teachers across the system are relentless.
If I ever leave teaching, it will be for two reasons: student disrespect, and my mental health finally giving out. Sadly, those two factors consistently rank among the top reasons teachers leave the profession (Mason & Matas, 2015).
I don’t want to lose my love for teaching, or for art.
So, I’m asking: how do you maintain positive mental health?
References
- Acton, R., & Glasgow, P. (2015). Teacher wellbeing in neoliberal contexts: A review of the literature. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40(8), 99–114. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n8.6
- Black Dog Institute. (2023). Press release: Teachers’ mental health under strain. Black Dog Institute. https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/
- Buchanan, J., Prescott, A., Schuck, S., Aubusson, P., Burke, P., & Louviere, J. (2013). Teacher retention and attrition: Views of early career teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 38(3), 112–129. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2013v38n3.9
- Emerson, L., Leyland, A., Hudson, K., Rowse, G., Hanley, P., & Hugh-Jones, S. (2017). Teaching mindfulness to teachers: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Mindfulness, 8, 1136–1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0691-4
- Hwang, Y. S., Bartlett, B., Greben, M., & Hand, K. (2019). A systematic review of mindfulness interventions for teachers: A multidimensional perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 31(1), 185–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9456-2
- Klassen, R. M., & Chiu, M. M. (2010). Effects on teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction: Teacher gender, years of experience, and job stress. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 741–756. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019237
- Mason, S., & Matas, C. (2015). Teacher attrition and retention research in Australia: Towards a new theoretical framework. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40(11), 45–66. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n11.3
- Riley, P. (2023). The Australian principal occupational health, safety and wellbeing survey 2022. Australian Catholic University.
- Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2018). Job demands and job resources as predictors of teacher motivation and well-being. Social Psychology of Education, 21, 1251–1275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-018-9464-8
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