With nearly 90% of all teachers experiencing moderate to high levels of stress, it is very important for teachers to use stress-relieving techniques to improve both their careers and their health. While stress is evident in any job, teachers seem to face higher levels of stress due to their unique circumstances. Think about what a teacher must deal with day in and day out…high stakes exams, overcrowded classrooms, test grading, homework grading, class work grading, administrative paperwork, parent meetings, department meetings, faculty meetings , defiant students, angry parents, an unsupportive community, and the list goes on…

Without the use of stress relief techniques, teacher stress can manifest itself in many ways, including headaches, back pain, frequent illnesses, heartburn, anger, impatience, depression, eating disorders, and insomnia. If not addressed, these manifestations are likely to develop into heart disease and hypertension. Stress can even damage memory and cognitive abilities.

What’s worse is that teachers often don’t know how to manage their stress and so it’s no surprise that nearly 50% of all teachers quit within their first five years.

Fortunately, there are many simple stress-relief techniques that teachers can use that will help improve both your health and your career.

Here are five techniques to relieve stress:

1. Exercise! DO NOT use the excuse that you don’t have time. You must make time. Make it part of your daily routine. While it may be difficult at first, you will quickly find yourself with more energy and much more efficient at work.

2. Learn to say No. This can be quite difficult…especially as a new teacher. New teachers think they have to say “yes” to everything to keep their jobs, but this can quickly lead to teacher burnout.

3. Join teacher forums/discussion forums. There are many teacher forums on the internet where teachers can not only vent their frustrations but also get real advice from real teachers who have experienced the same problems.

4. Think positive. In fact, not only to think positive thoughts, but in reality tell them out loud. In the morning, or on the way to work, say positive things about your work, about your students, about your colleagues. You’ll be amazed at the impact saying these things out loud can have on the rest of your day.

5. Relax and take breaks. Teachers tend to go through the day (and night) without rest. This is not healthy and only increases your stress level. Make sure you do NOT work during lunch. Take that time to eat a healthy meal and talk with your colleagues about things other than school. In other words, let yourself take a mental break from work during the day. Also, at the end of the school day, make a to-do list for the next day, and then take ten minutes to relax and refresh with other stress-relieving techniques like deep breathing, stretching, or visualization.