However, those in the education sector often face more challenges than most. They’re on the frontline and have to not only deal with their workloads but also support pupils through their own challenges. But with this in mind, what are the secrets to managing teacher wellbeing in 2025?
A stressful environment
The profession has always been demanding, but in 2025, the pressures on educators will likely reach unprecedented levels. Teachers face challenges ranging from managing hybrid classrooms and growing class sizes, to addressing the growing mental health needs of students. And that’s on top of dealing with their day-to-day responsibilities and ensuring their pupils reach the highest possible academic standards.
The industry itself is responsible for some of these issues. According to the NASUWT Teacher Wellbeing Survey, 84% of professionals have experienced work-related stress in the last 12 months, with 86% reporting that their job has adversely impacted their mental health. In addition, The Teacher Wellbeing Index 2024 reports that 82% of staff who noted an increase in challenging behaviours from pupils or students also reported a negative impact on their mental health and well-being. Similarly, 70% reported that increased challenging interactions with parents had the same effect.
And these factors are driving long-term effects; the same research shows that 27% of teachers have exhibited signs of burnout, exhaustion, and acute stress, one of the highest rates of any industry. In addition, 84% have experienced an increase in anxiety, 74% have suffered loss of sleep, and 59% report low energy levels due to work-related stress. Put simply, it’s understandable that so many teachers report challenges with their mental and physical health.
However, these problems are balanced by the fact that teaching offers possibly the most rewarding of all careers, and supply specialists in particular can develop a healthier work/life balance, that allows them to fit their job around their life, rather than the other way around. There are also other methods that both education establishments and teachers themselves can use to improve their overall health.
Managing teacher wellbeing
From an employer perspective, offering support to teachers and helping them to develop stress reduction techniques can go a long way. Even in an ideal school in an idyllic setting, teaching will always pose some challenges, that’s part of why it’s so rewarding. This means that it’s important to consider how any issues can be managed, rather than ignoring them, and seemingly small interventions can make all the difference. A 2023 analysis in BMC Psychology found that teachers who practised mindfulness, for example, reported an 89% reduction in stress levels and subsequent boosts to job satisfaction rates. Offering affordable subscriptions to apps like Headspace and Calm for guided meditation is one potential solution, or employers could also look to provide sponsored workshops and classes to support their teachers, both supply and permanent.
Other similar moves, like providing employee assistance programmes, wellness breaks and support groups, can also really help. While some more sceptical leaders may doubt the efficacy of these programmes, they’ve been proven to work. In Finland, one of the countries lauded for its education system, teacher wellbeing is recognised as a cornerstone of success. Over recent years, Finnish schools adopted a nationwide framework designed to support educators that included reduced workloads, mandatory wellness breaks, and access to professional counselling. As a result, teacher satisfaction rates increased by 25%, and burnout rates dropped by 18% within a year.
On the teacher side, it can be difficult, but clear boundaries need to be set that clearly delineate professional and personal lives. One of the reasons many professionals suffer from stress is due to their work creeping into their free time, which leads to a feeling of being overwhelmed. All readers will likely have been in this situation, but help is increasingly at hand. Specialists can be supported in completing some more time-consuming tasks by leveraging the power of emerging technology, like AI to assist, for example.
Equally, small interventions such as planning time more effectively, or not being afraid to seek support to complete tasks, can go a long way. Exercise also plays a critical role in ensuring not only physical, but also mental, health, and teachers must look to create time for self-care. This can include scheduling short walks during lunch breaks, or incorporating activities like yoga, or even just stretching, into daily routines.
And with the often frenetic pace of modern education, being able to step back and recognise small successes can improve self-esteem and motivation. Teaching rarely provides the opportunity to celebrate the work of individual professionals, but recognising a job well done can give that boost that helps teachers to get through the day. Each individual is different, but there is help available, and all specialists – both on the permanent and supply side should prioritise their health over anything else.
Health is wealth and professionals that don’t prioritise their wellbeing, or institutions that don’t support their staff, will only make their lives and roles harder. On the other hand, those that do recognise the value of looking after themselves and their teachers will be better positioned to provide higher standards for pupils, and ultimately a better standard of education.
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