Teaching young children is a rich and rewarding career. However, beware the signs of burnout: grumpiness, fatigue and even depression may catch you unaware. The following tips may just save your enthusiasm for teaching and your sanity!

Stay Healthy

It is all too easy to get wrapped up in nurturing children that you forget about your needs. Fuel your days with a healthy diet rich in nutrients and low in over-processed foods. In addition, be sure to get enough exercise. Go for an early morning walk, jog or workout at the gym. Find some way of incorporating exercise into your day, and you will feel more energetic and inspired as a result.

Depend less on caffeine and more on fresh air to get you through the day. If you implement a healthy diet and daily physical exercise, your mind will be clearer, your body will be calmer, and your outlook will be much improved.

Adult Activities

Like being the parent of young children, being a teacher of young children can result in feeling trapped in the world of children. It's important to choose after school activities than enhance your adult life. Find activities that interest and inspire you. Art openings, movies, music lessons, hiking and playing sports are an enriching way to spend time with other adults. After all, you're a better teacher when you cultivate the other areas of your life.

Inspired Lessons

Maybe your burnout comes from teaching the same lessons in the same old way. Infuse important lesson material with interesting projects. Incorporate art wherever possible and add aspects of technology to up the lessons. A video or an interactive game may be just the extra pizazz your lessons need to wake everybody up, including you!

Don't Forget to Breathe

At some point during each teaching day, take 5 or 10 minutes to sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Deep, concentrated breathing improves all types of body functions, as well as having emotional and psychological benefits. Many issues and irritations can work themselves out simply by breathing in and out. Besides, it's a totally free activity!

Indulge Yourself

Do something nice for yourself once a week or once a month. Whether this means going out for a decadent dessert or getting a massage, make a list of ways you can pamper yourself. You spend a lot of time giving yourself to your students and your school. Make a plan to you give to yourself as well, and you'll find that the well of your giving gets deeper.

Take a Vacation

The school year is dotted with three and four day holiday weekends. Take advantage of these days off and plan several mini-excursions out of town. They don't have to be expensive, but just a little adventure to change your landscape and shake up your weekly routine.

Ask for Help

If you find yourself overwhelmed with the daily chores of teaching and all the minor details you have to organize, then take advantage of your parent support system. Many parents are more than happy to volunteer in the classroom or at home with support tasks, such as cutting, copying and collating, just to name just a few. If you find yourself working long hours after school on these types of activities, you may need to call in the parental troops.

Preventing burnout is part of your job as a teacher. It's difficult to be inspiring if you've run out of inspiration. Remember that you have a life outside of school and that your wellbeing is important too.

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