There is no more honorable profession than teaching, but just as with any career, teacher can experience teacher burnout. Staying motivated to do the very best job that you can do often becomes exhaustive after a number of years on the job. The tips that follow may help you to avoid teacher burnout so that you can be your best for your students and for yourself.

Keep Active and Fit

The role of the teacher is a nurturing one, and all too often a teacher becomes so involved in the act of nurturing others that she forgets about her own needs. Staying active and fit are the cornerstones of staying healthy. Start by eating a diet that is nutrient dense and high in fiber while being low in fat and processed foods. Restrict or avoid consumption of caffeine. Incorporate exercise into each and every day, whether it is just an early morning walk, an afternoon job, or a workout at the gym. Exercise will help you to have more energy and you will look and (best of all) feel, healthier. Eating well and exercising will help you have a better outlook on life in general, which can help you to prevent feelings of being burned out.

Forget About the Kiddies

A big problem for teachers is their inability to forget about the kids that they teach (at least sometimes), like being a parent of twenty young children at once! Perhaps you have begun to feel trapped in this miniature world of children. If so, you're bound to experience teacher burnout before long unless you incorporate some adult activities into your lifestyle. Go to a movie, take a music lesson, play a sport, go to a bar - do whatever it takes to spend time with adults.

Mix Up Your Lessons

Sometimes teacher burnout is related to covering the same material in the same fashion year after year after year. Mix up your lessons and infuse them with different and exciting elements. Add aspects of technology or incorporate some artsy component into your traditional presentation. From interactive games to supplementary videos, adding some extra oomph into your tired and ho-hum presentations can wake up your interest in teaching, while motivating your students to learn.

Indulge Yourself with "Me" Time

Just as a busy mother needs some quiet "alone" time or "me" time, so does the busy teacher! Even if it means that you just take a few minutes each day to focus on deep breathing, or an hour after school to have a facial or manicure, pampering and indulging yourself can help you to find your focus and ward off teacher burnout. If you're a "list" person, make a list of your favorite indulgences and vow to check off two of them each week. Let this carry over into your away time from school as well, such as three or four day weekends, spring break, or summer vacation. In lieu of taking on a part time job, spend this time being good to yourself, taking a vacation, or catching up on a favorite pastime, such as reading or sewing.

Preventing teacher burnout is a big part of being a successful teacher, and having a life outside of the one that you have at school is important to your well-being and happiness.

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