Forget “yoga Mondays”. Slash workload and increase autonomy if you want to tackle teacher burnout.

Last Updated on 04/09/2025 by James Barron

Introduction

Teacher wellbeing is in crisis. The NASUWT Wellbeing at Work Survey 2024 records a record low wellbeing score for teachers. 84% of teachers report rising stress, and 86% say their job harms their mental health [8]. Burnout, as defined by the World Health Organisation in this Education Support blog, is “a syndrome linked to chronic work stress that has not been successfully managed” [4]. Darren Morgan writing on another Education Support blog, describes it as arising from “severe stress and high ideals” in purpose-driven professions [7]. Understanding symptoms, causes and solutions is vital for teacher health and the profession’s future.

Symptoms

Burnout manifests as exhaustion, detachment and declining performance. According to the NASUWT survey, 70% of teachers report low energy [8], and many experience cynicism and compassion fatigue [7]. Physical symptoms include poor sleep, headaches and stomach aches. Depression may precede burnout [7]. Teachers also report anxiety (84%), relationship breakdowns (10%) and even self-harm (3%) [8]. The emotional impact can be so profound that a teacher might find themselves crying in front of students, as described in the BBC Teach video, “Confessions of a Teacher – Workload” [1].

During my own teacher training, several colleagues in our WhatsApp group for trainees admitted crying after work –once even during work in the toilets – but in these cases no specific support for work-related stress was offered by the school, just variations on “that’s teaching.”

Causes

There are many root causes of teacher burnout, and they are deeply embedded in the structure and culture of the education system.

Workload

Workload is the biggest cause of work-related stress among teachers, with 70% citing it as the main issue in 2024, a 2% increase from 2022 [8]. Teachers start early, work late and still plan and assess at home. Marking is time-consuming despite its poor return on investment. One teacher in that BBC video logged 187 hours in 17 days, recognising this was “not a normal expectation on anyone with a job” [1].

When working in a school with high workload I would often “front-load” my day, clearing my inbox before lessons, only to find it stuffed full again at 3:30pm. Email overload doesn’t have to be tolerated, it is a symptom of broken workflows – I wrote about this here.

Teachers often struggle with “problem work” – fixing issues arising from broken workflows or ill-thought-out procedures – rather than focusing on core teaching responsibilities. Examples from this blog by Mark Burns, Fellow of the Learning Performance Institute, include inconsistent teaching frameworks, unclear feedback systems, excessive emails, overloaded meetings, and irrelevant professional development sessions [2].

I grappled with frustrating “problem work” at one school caused by the data collection process. Having entered “attitude to learning” scores for every pupil – all 250 of them every half term – I would be deluged by emails from the pastoral team who, quite understandably, wanted more information on the pupils with low scores. This is an example of a workflow generated out of a data collection process not fit for purpose.

Autonomy

NFER Research shows teachers have less autonomy than most professionals, with only health workers reporting less. They lack control over assessment, curriculum and CPD. Classroom teachers hit a “low autonomy ceiling” after five years [9]. Meanwhile, according to NEU leader Daniel Kebede, centralisation – driven by MATs, Ofsted and the government’s Oak National Academy – risks further eroding professional judgment and creativity in the classroom [6].

Scrutiny

Scrutiny culture pressures teachers to work unless “ill, dying or meeting a princess” according to a teacher on the BBC video [1]. Illness is seen as weakness, and staff fear letting others down. One school mentioned in that video required staff to call the head directly to report sick leave – resulting in low absence but, of course, high staff turnover [1].

Other factors

Stress also stems from behaviour (36%), accountability (26%) and finances (19%). Many schools lack wellbeing spaces (60%), stress monitoring (64%), counsellors (63%) and flexible work options (58%). There’s also a significant lack of clear policies on the right to “switch off” and guidelines for replying to emails outside of working hours. 44% also feel their school doesn’t give the same consideration to mental health as physical health [8].

Tackling burnout

What you can do as a teacher

Systemic change is vital, but individual teachers can do much to protect themselves.

1. Take Charge of Your Wellbeing: Prioritise your own health – you cannot effectively support students if you are burned out. Eat well, sleep well and make a conscious decision to put time aside for yourself and loved ones, engaging in activities you enjoy [1].

My strategy was to have “Saturdays off” and at least one night per week without taking work home, in which I would practise guitar or just watch a film with the family, without guilt. This takes careful planning: for instance, you might give yourself a “free evening” the night before you have a free first period.

• Do Things That Make You Feel Like ‘You’: Engage in hobbies, spend time with friends and family, or simply make a meal you enjoy. You are more than your job. [7].
• Be Aware of Your Emotions: Connect with your feelings and acknowledge your stress, try mindfulness or journalling [7]. Make a list of stress triggers and coping techniques [4].
• Say ‘No’: Delegate or refuse tasks that are not yours and ask, “what shall I drop to fit this in?” [7]. Set healthy boundaries to avoid taking on too much [4].
• Get Support: Don’t suffer in silence, speak to trusted colleagues, your union rep, friends, or family. Education Support is available 24/7 on 08000 562 561 [7].
• Work smarter using these tips:
  • Prioritise effectively: Focus on the important stuff [4].
  • Feedback, not marking: You don’t need to mark every word in every book [1].

I switched to whole-class feedback (WCF) and self- and peer-marking and then I barely marked anything the traditional way, saving hours every week!

• Forgive yourself: Be kind to yourself and consciously do something that brings you joy every day [4].

My de-stressor is the guitar, my wife plays word games on her phone and we both work out and meditate most days.

• Talk it out: Openly discuss issues with a trusted colleague or friend to lighten the load [4].
  • Exercise: Regular physical activity busts stress, and just 7 minutes of yoga a day might be enough [4].
  • Take your time: Plan ahead for appointments and don’t hesitate to ask questions such as “what time have you allocated to me to do this?” [4].

A mantra of mine is “this meeting invitation is not a meeting until I accept it.” Line managers will respect you prioritising your important tasks if you explain why you are respectfully declining.

• Don’t drink to cope: Avoid relying on alcohol, smoking, or sedatives, they are not a long-term solution [4].

I stopped drinking during term-time and it greatly improved my energy levels and ability to cope. If you feel you can’t do this, try to keep drinking to weekends, you’ll feel the benefit.

• Seek Autonomy over CPD: Research by the NFER shows that autonomy over CPD is a big win for teacher job satisfaction. Choose the training you want and make a case for it [9].

What you can do as a leader

School leaders play a vital role in creating a supportive environment that prevents burnout and fosters teacher wellbeing.

1. Trust teachers: According to Victoria Hewett, writing on the Education Support blog, teachers need support not scrutiny. Using observations for criticism “takes a toll on our wellbeing and health” [5].
2. Show appreciation: Noticing the hard work of teachers costs nothing [5]. Suki Dhesi, a Vice Principal in Hampshire has implemented student appreciation into her school, with one pupil writing, “it’s a joy to be taught by her and every lesson makes my life better!” [3].
3. Swap “Yoga Monday” for workload reduction: While yoga classes and staffroom treats are pleasant, they do not address the core issue of workload. Leaders must allocate adequate time to do the job during the school day and asking whether the impact of new work outweighs the time required [5].
4. Improve Trust and Autonomy:
   1. Cultivate a collaborative community based on trust and autonomy [5].
   1. Increase agency: Teachers feel valued when they have opportunities to lead projects or develop schemes of learning and are not micromanaged [2].
   1. Shared clarity: Involve teachers in the creation of accountability measures and get their buy-in. [2].
   1. Streamline systems: Eliminate “problem work,” freeing up staff for the key business of teaching [2].
   1. High-quality CPD: Provide thoughtfully designed and sequenced CPD, remembering teachers’ time is precious [2].
   1. Uncluttered curriculum, Allow time for teachers to adapt lessons and delve deeper into learning, this is where the magic happens [2].
   1. Maintain a calm and safe environment: Tackle behaviour, consistently cited as the most important factor in the working environment. [2].

Pupil behaviour has significantly deteriorated in recent years, partly due to the “lost years” of COVID shutdowns. SLT must tackle this issue head-on, and restore a calm, respectful and productive environment so that pupils and teachers can thrive at school.

Conclusion

Burnout – driven by workload, low autonomy, scrutiny and poor support – threatens education [2, 5, 6, 8]. Symptoms are widespread [7, 8]. Teachers must protect their wellbeing through boundaries and support [1, 4, 7]. Leaders must shift culture: improve behaviour, reduce workload, streamline systems and foster autonomy and appreciation [2, 5, 9]. Teaching offers profound joy, when lessons click and students thrive [1]. This joy must not come at the cost of our wellbeing.

References

1. BBC Teach. (2019, November 6). Confessions of a Teacher – Workload | Teacher Support | BBC Teach [Video transcript excerpts]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/jNUZKdQ1PEQ
2. Burns, M. (2025, February 3). What is it to feel valued as a professional? Mark Burns. https://www.mark-burns.co.uk/what-is-it-to-feel-valued-as-a-professional
3. Dhesi, S. (2022, June 11). The power of rewards and recognition to create an ‘I love my job’ culture. FE News. https://www.fenews.co.uk/fe-voices/the-power-of-rewards-and-recognition-to-create-an-i-love-my-job-culture
4. Education Support. (n.d.). Managing teacher stress: practical tips and guidance. https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-individuals/guides/managing-teacher-stress-practical-tips-and-guidance
5. Hewett, V. (n.d.). What teachers want from SLT to improve their wellbeing. Education Support. https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/articles/what-teachers-want-from-slt-to-improve-their-wellbeing
6. Kebede, D. (2023, February 26). Teachers must resist the squeeze on their autonomy. Schools Week. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/teachers-must-resist-the-squeeze-on-their-autonomy
7. Morgan, Darren (n.d.). Burnout: recognising the signs and protecting yourself. Education Support. https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-individuals/articles/burnout-identifying-the-causes-and-protecting-yourself
8. NASUWT. (2024, July 16). Teacher Wellbeing Survey: Key findings. https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index
9. Worth, J. (2020, January 29). Seven new insights into teacher autonomy. NFER. https://www.nfer.ac.uk/blogs/seven-new-insights-into-teacher-autonomy/