There’s never a dull moment when you’re a teacher. One moment, your heart melts as you see your students thrive, the next you’re sitting in front of a mountain of paperwork and wondering, ‘What’s the f@*king point?’

The reality is that the profession of ‘teacher’ is undesirable to many because it’s viewed as inflexible, underpaid, and exhausting. Depending on who you’re speaking to and the time of day, the happiest teacher can be on a pendulum when it comes to living a balanced life.

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard teachers say, “I just don’t have time to eat at lunch” or, “I do that for my students but never get the time for myself.” Of course, this isn’t a judgement. We know how hard you work and the ever-increasing demands on your time.

So, we’ve got some tips on how to free up more pockets of time so you can continue changing the world, one child at a time... or at least eat your lunch!

Burnout is real

Burnout is real for those in the teaching profession. According to The Department of Education, more than 40,000 teachers left the profession in 2023, the highest figure since 2011. Sadly, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to tackling burnout. However, being conscious of how you spend your work and downtime can help you feel re-energised and refreshed.

Recently, when delivering an inset day on wellbeing, one teacher disclosed how they’d been suffering from severe anxiety, which led them to binge-watch Netflix and not feel rested. By simply disclosing this information, they were able to get help from colleagues and their school, so they didn’t have to suffer in silence.

It just goes to show that it’s good to talk and share what you’re experiencing because it's highly likely that someone else has been in a similar situation to you. To help with feelings of burnout, can you incorporate 5-10 minutes a day into your workday to do something small that makes you feel good? Even if it’s just giving your serotonin levels a boost by sitting out in the sunshine for a few minutes at lunchtime or watching a comedian who you know will make you laugh on your phone.  Stick to the small, achievable things so you don't feel overwhelmed.

When we start prioritising our wellbeing needs, we start to feel better. This is called the ‘feel good-do good’ phenomenon. This refers to the tendency for people to be more willing to help others when they feel good about themselves or are already in a good mood, so it's a win-win situation for all. 

Flexible working

Have you considered flexible working to help free up some time? Flexible working is defined as an arrangement between employee and employer whereby the time and location can be varied to accommodate both parties. If you’re anything like me, maybe your inner cynic comes into play and says, “How could this possibly work in schools?”

Well, luckily for both of us, it’s already been rolled out at West Grantham Academy School. They were recently in the headlines because they implemented flexible working for their teachers to carry out the PPA at home. Although this is a new working practice for the wider working population, it’s received positive results for West Grantham, who understand that flexibility is increasingly important to retain staff and have happy staff.

Adapting to increasing educational trends

Just like the British weather, we sometimes just don’t know what's happening next - particularly in the teaching profession. Keeping on top of changes and new guidelines can feel like a full-time job in itself. Yet, for many of you reading this, you have a wealth of experience. To distil new information into bitesize chunks and save time on keeping up to date, could you set up champions that are responsible for informing staff of changes in the most creative way possible?

To give you context, at HCS team meetings, we take turns sharing what we've learnt, getting everyone to apply this through a fun exercise. Alternatively, if this isn't your cup of tea, can the information be shared in an engaging way that people aren't expecting? However you imagine doing this, it can really help people stay informed about any changes coming their way without requiring them to use up their free time.

Time management for teachers is a hot topic - and sadly, there is no simple solution. But hopefully these tips have given you a starting point when it comes to managing your own time and putting your needs first.

If you’d like some INSET training from the team at HCS, get in touch, and we’ll be happy to share how we can help you - simply email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Selina Brown used to work with Great Ormond Street Hospital, which ignited her passion for working with children. She was also a children’s entertainer, dressing up as princesses and clowns for loads of excitably bouncy, sugar-fuelled kids. She’s been able to combine her creativity with her experience of working within education to provide a whole range of workshops for children and school staff alike.