Teacher alert: 3 signs and symptoms of teachers' burnout to understand impacts and effects Address the signs of teachers’ burnout that most educational institutions neglect

Rawan Essam 

Teacher burnout, a prevalent concern in education, has profound implications for student learning outcomes. The World Health Organization describes burnout  as an occupational phenomenon characterized by three main attributes: exhaustion, cynicism,and inefficacy. It could have arisen from school climate, unsupportive staff peers, or a lack of resources.

To identify the signs of teachers' burnout, it is crucial to spread awareness among teachers that their exhaustion, tiredness, and unmotivated feelings are valid. And they have to pay attention to themselves because burnout impacts their personal lives too. 

1. Brain fog 

Teachers may suffer from brain fog. Brain fog is a term that describes the mental exhaustion that brain workers, including teachers, suffer from over studying. It also refers to some common cognitive symptoms, such as difficulty in concentration, attention, or memory problems. Most teachers pass through this phase as a result of workload (1)(2). 

The influence of this stage is catastrophic for teachers. Teachers may forget their students’ names, information related to the curriculum, important events, or checking the homework regularly. They can have difficulty multitasking or maintaining attention for a long period of time. They often cannot think straight, and their responses become slower.  Educators sometimes struggle to find the right words to express themselves. 

2. Chronic fatigue 

Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common among teachers. They may feel overwhelmed by their daily tasks, which are not reduced even by taking rest. The teachers could suffer from sleep disorders. Sleep disorders have two forms, teachers may not be able to sleep or they stay asleep. Despite sleeping, they wake up without feeling refreshed.

Chronic fatigue symptoms could be severe if they are coupled with physical symptoms such as headaches, joint and muscle pain, a sore throat, or flu episodes. Most teachers interpret these symptoms as something normal, but the recurrence of these symptoms could be a warning sign of burnout. 

3. Emotional symptoms 

Teachers may suffer from depression or stress. A study revealed that depression was the most prevalent psychological problem that led to burnout. According to a survey, almost two-thirds of educators find work “always” or “often” stressful. They might struggle with mood swings and anger issues (4)(5)(6). 

Teachers may feel these unpleasant feelings because they do not have time for self care or to recharge their energy. Emotional symptoms could be presented with changes in appetite; they could develop new habits such as binge eating too many sweets or stopping eating at all. 

In summary, burnout leads to feelings of incompetence or ineffectiveness. The supervisors of principals have to take this problem seriously to prevent any shortfall in the educational process for the kids and provide a supportive environment where their teachers can express their problems.