Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions in the world, but it is also one of the heaviest. The mental load teachers carry is unlike anything else: lesson planning, grading, meetings, student well-being, family communication, curriculum demands, testing, school events, and more—often all on the same day. Add in personal responsibilities at home, and it can feel like you’re constantly juggling with no time to breathe.
After more than 40 years as a teacher, principal, and consultant, I’ve seen firsthand how the mental strain can erode even the most passionate educator’s joy. But I’ve also learned strategies that help lighten the load—not by adding more to your plate, but by shifting how you approach the weight you carry.
Here are some suggestions I want to share with you, teacher-to-teacher.
1. Prioritize, Don’t Perfectionize
Every day brings a mountain of tasks. The truth? You won’t finish them all. Instead of trying to “do it all,” choose your top three priorities each day—what must be done for your students and your sanity. Let the rest wait. Perfectionism is the enemy of sustainability. If three feels like too many, prioritize one, and when you finish it, prioritize another.
2. Use Micro-Moments for Renewal
You don’t need an hour-long break to reset. Find micro-moments: a deep breath between classes, a sip of water while papers shuffle, a walk around the playground at recess. Small moments of stillness sprinkled throughout the day can keep stress from compounding. Close your eyes, picture yourself in your favorite place and wallow in the peace.
3. Create Boundaries with Compassion
It’s easy to let school spill into every corner of your life. Decide on one or two evenings a week when you leave the grading bag at school. Protect weekends when possible. Remember: boundaries aren’t selfish—they model for students and colleagues that balance matters. When you plan in advance, you can be sure not to plan a major unit near grading time or on the days you are holding sacred. It may take some time to adjust, but you will get into the habit.
4. Lean on Your Community
Teaching is not meant to be a solo act. Ask for support, swap lesson ideas, vent with a trusted colleague, or start a “resource share” folder with your grade-level team. When you carry the load together, it always feels lighter. I could not have managed all the expectations without the support of my girls: Linda, Ashley, Charlotte, Denise, Pat, Antoinette, Kelsey, and a few select others. We often carried the weight of each other's burdens, whether they were work-related or personal. We would often have a weekly Happy Hour, breakfast, or lunch together. Making this time together work was essential to my success in the education field.
5. Build Small Rituals of Joy
Find one small thing each day that brings you joy in the classroom—sharing a funny story, playing a quick game, greeting each child by name at the door. Joy fuels resilience, and those rituals remind you why you chose this profession. In fact, I often had my students bring in something that brought them joy and shared it with the class. We grew close when we learned that rainbows were a sign from a passed grandparent or that dandelions were shared with a favorite aunt.
6. Practice Reflection Instead of Rumination
It’s normal to replay the day in your mind, but endless rumination increases stress. Instead, take five minutes to journal: “What went well today? What can I improve tomorrow?” Reflection builds growth; rumination drains energy. This is also an essential practice. I would give myself 15 minutes at the end of the day to reflect, moan, and groan about my students or the admin, and then that was over. No more dwelling on the past, but focused on what tomorrow would be like instead.
7. Remember the Bigger Picture
The work you’re doing matters beyond test scores or paperwork. Students remember how you made them feel, how you believed in them, and how you modeled persistence. Keeping sight of your purpose can steady you on the hardest days. Sharing stories was a significant part of how I built relationships with my students. One year, I told a story a day about my cat, Bustopher. The students could not wait to hear about his latest shenanigans. They would cackle and chuckle, and some even drew pictures. To this day, students from that class will ask about my cat!
Closing Thoughts
The mental load of teaching is real, and you don’t have to carry it alone or without tools. By setting boundaries, creating small moments of rest, leaning on community, and giving yourself permission to let go of perfection, you can reclaim joy and energy in your work.
After four decades in education, I want you to hear this clearly: you are enough. Your students don’t need perfection—they need your presence, your heart, and your resilience. And those things grow stronger when you take care of yourself.
💛 From one educator to another: this is doable. Take care of you and you are taking care of your students, too!
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