How do you deal with burnout and stress from being overworked?

K teaches · 03-12-2025 01:24PM #1

The union are useless.

Larbre34 · 03-12-2025 01:31PM

You may have to be a bit more specific, caller.

Its not up to your Union to manage your own time management, resilience strategy and work/life balance. Its your responsibility alone.

If those strategies and these effects cannot be reconciled, then quit. In my experience, no job on this Earth is worth ruining your health and your rightful expectation of peace and control in your own life for.

K teaches · 03-12-2025 01:33PM

I'm a teacher and often find our hours and workload simply too much.

There's days I don't finish until 5 in the evening and Fridays when lessons are supposed to finish at 2 I often don't even get to finish at 2. Especially if I have to supervise detention.

Dial Hard · 03-12-2025 01:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038833#Comment_124038833

Not to ignite a whole "Teachers vs everyone else" debate, but I'm not sure you're going to get a whole lot of sympathy from people because you "only" finish work at 5pm the odd day. My work hours are 9 to 5.30 (was 8.30 to 5.30 in my last place) and I often end up working far later than that - I didn't log off til after 10pm last night, for example, and we don't get paid overtime. It's the nature of my industry and I'm happy to do it, for now. If that ever changes then I'll look to move on. You may end up having to do the same thing, although I'd counsel you to be very aware of the kind of hours you'll end up doing 5 days a week (every week, all year round) should you decide to leave the profession.

K teaches · 03-12-2025 01:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038865#Comment_124038865

Apples and oranges.

As you said, you chose to work til 10.

I'm being forced to work till 5 and late on Fridays. I also have to do preparation during the Christmas holidays. Am I not entitled to a break?

DBK1 · 03-12-2025 02:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038875#Comment_124038875

No one in this world can force you to work at something you don’t want to work at. If you’re not happy in your role or feel you are being over worked then hand in your notice, quit your job and take up a job in another role that will suit you or the hours you’re willing to work better. It’s that simple really.

But as @Dial Hard alluded to above, be careful what you wish for. There’s not too many jobs out there where you only have to work until 5 an odd few days, 5 would be a fairly standard quitting time for a lot of office based roles as well as construction and plenty of other sectors. Generally there’s no early Friday finish in the majority of jobs either so I’d advise you to do some research into the job you’d like to change too and what the financial difference would be relative to where you are now if you only want to work half days.

purplefields · 03-12-2025 02:08PM

I created a new ChatGPT project for my stress/work overload and it came up with an excellent plan to combat it, which I am currently undertaking.

K teaches · 03-12-2025 02:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038930#Comment_124038930

If only gpt could mitigate the stress of teaching 😩

Hoop66 · 03-12-2025 02:11PM

I think K has had enought eat, if you take my meaning?

Rocket_GD · 03-12-2025 02:16PM

Seems like a nonsense thread just to have a dig at teachers.

Dial Hard · 03-12-2025 02:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038875#Comment_124038875

I didn't choose to work til after 10 last night, a client issue required it. Yes, you could argue that I chose my industry, but so did you, presumably. I don't doubt that teaching is a stressful job but I suspect if you aggregate out the hours you work over the course of a full year, you're still coming in waaaaaaaaay under the average for most other professions, many of which are just as stressful in their own way.

It's very possible you've just fallen out of love with your job - it happens in every sector, and when that happens it becomes very difficult to overlook stuff that you may not even have really noticed previously. All I can say is if that is the case, you need to start thinking about what the next chapter is.

Mrs OBumble · 03-12-2025 02:39PM

Just learn to manage your time effectively.

pjdarcy · 03-12-2025 02:58PM

Get the kids to grade each others homework. That's what the lazy or hungover teachers in my school used to do.

Dr.Tom · 03-12-2025 04:15PM

I work 7 days a week 365 days a year.

Where’s my hamper?

Trampas · 03-12-2025 04:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038961#Comment_124038961

Is your own company or do you work for one. I don’t mind the odd time for an hour or so but 5 hours for free is taking the urine. If you work for someone should you not inform them first before working all evening

Dial Hard · 03-12-2025 04:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039283#Comment_124039283

No, not self-employed, and believe me they know that I (and others on the team) were working til that hour. It's just the nature of my industry (client service, media adjacent). If something is in the news in the evening that's directly related to one of your clients, you just have to roll the sleeves up and deal with it.

o1s1n · 03-12-2025 04:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038875#Comment_124038875

Nobody said you need to do preparation during the Christmas holidays, you're just going into the Christmas holidays without your January preparation done. You need to manage your time better.

A huge part of teaching is about prep work. Once you're in it a few years this can come down dramatically workload wise as you'll have lots of it done from previous years that you can reuse. Just gotta put your head down and get through the first few years of the career.

Do you actually like the teaching part of your job? That's the bigger question here, it's not really just a regular job, you really need to enjoy it to be in it. Otherwise I can imagine it being miserable, for both you and the kids.

K teaches · 03-12-2025 04:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039012#Comment_124039012

I'm a highly educated woman with a degree in Gaeilge and Geography and a PME. I have been a teacher for 5 years.

The syllabus is constantly changing and there's so much to do. It's hard to keep on top of everything.

And FYI, I manage my time just fine.

Rocket_GD · 03-12-2025 04:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039317#Comment_124039317

Apparently you don't if you're struggling to get through your workload. You've 2 weeks off over Christmas, plenty of time to get your work done and have plenty of time off as well.

Majority don't get 2 weeks off over Christmas.

o1s1n · 03-12-2025 04:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039317#Comment_124039317

I'd hardly call an Arts undergrad in Gaeilge and Geography and a Masters in Education 'highly educated', it's fairly pedestrian in today's world to be honest. Come back to us when you've a PHD and maybe you can take on that moniker. 😁

In all seriousness though, 5 years is still a baby, you're only 20% of the way through your career. Just keep at it if you genuinely like it and it will get easier.

Otherwise cut loose and find a new role.

Diddly Squat · 03-12-2025 04:52PM

Troll

K teaches · 03-12-2025 04:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039326#Comment_124039326

Those two weeks are my holidays. Why should I work during it?

Trampas · 03-12-2025 05:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039294#Comment_124039294

Should have a process in place. They’re probably charging the client and you’re not seeing it. Seems crazy to expect staff to give up their evening on the drop of a hat for nothing in return. I’d hope you get rewarded eventually as never a good sign.

John_Rambo · 03-12-2025 05:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039342#Comment_124039342

Because teaching doesn’t stop when the bell rings. Preparation, planning, and keeping skills current are part of doing any job well.

K teaches · 03-12-2025 05:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039371#Comment_124039371

Then I should be paid overtime.

K teaches · 03-12-2025 05:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039371#Comment_124039371

Do you bring work with you on your precious time off? Do you take your laptop to the hotel abroad?

the14thwarrior · 03-12-2025 05:11PM

i work in the public sector, yes i choose that and the higher grade. but in an area thats impossible to do the job in the hours we have. i worked at times seven days a week, a few hours at the weekend really helped. i worked often every evening till 8; i managed my time and tasks extremely well. but there was nothing I could do about it at times, my mangers above worked those hours too.

my all time favourite was one night driving home at 12.30 and thinking…… this has to stop……..

don't bother giving me digs about public sector workers.

and no i don't get overtime or time in lieu.

i don't work that job anymore, the burnout and stress was too much but i'm now able to do a different job, and some days (rare enough) do i stay late.

i managed to be able to say NO, that will have to wait

i learned how to accept some things would be left unfinished

a work mentor reminded me the as long as i do it, it will be accepted. he was senior to me;

i streamlined as much as i could, cut off distractions from others, grew a new pair of @alls and reduce other's expectations.

if that helps