Teachers are full of arduous tasks every day and sometimes they do not look forward to meet their classes. They are bored with their own lessons.  They are so irritable that even the little things upset them.  There is a possibility that they are experiencing occupational burn-out.

What is burn-out?  Burnout is a state of physical , emotional, and mental exhaustion due to excessive demands on energy, strength, and resources.  It is the result of one’s response to stress which may or may not be job related. Burn-out is the consequence of one’s response to a series of stressful situations.  But burnout does not happen overnight, it grows over a period of time.  Common sources of stress are student5s misbehaviour, poor working conditions and time pressure.

How then can burnout be avoided? I will share some ways of avoiding burnout that I learned during the Stress seminar last vacation in Manila.  Here are the following ways:

*Socialize with colleagues.

*Budget time wisely.

*Delegate some responsibility with your students.

*Have fun in the classroom.

*Avoid making work for yourself.

*Engage in outside activities for personal enrichment.

*Take a mental health day.

* Set aside ten to fifteen minutes every day just yourself.

It is futile to avoid stress.  But burnout can be avoided if you know how to deal with stress.  Be aware of stress situations and take control of your life. Saturate our mind with God’s Word as antidote for stress and burnout.

By: Ricer B. Santoyo | Teacher III | MNHS-Cabcaben