Stress is one of the biggest reasons teachers leave the classroom early, and for school leaders, helping colleagues deal with stress can be a key factor in staff retention.

1. Eight Strategies For Building Resilience
By Nick Morrison
Stress is one of the biggest reasons teachers leave the classroom early, and for
school leaders, helping colleagues deal with stress can be a key factor in staff
retention.
I wrote in an earlier post about how stress was the biggest cause of illness leading to
absence among teachers.
One way of reducing stress is to remove the factors that cause stress, whether they
are workload, unrealistic expectations or pressure from parents.
But in the absence of that, there are steps school leaders can take to help their staff
become more resistant to the effects of stress. By building resilience they can help
colleagues deal with stress while minimizing the impact on their emotional, mental
and physical well-being.
Being resilient does not mean being impervious to stress, but it does mean adapting
to and coping with stressful situations. It is not an inherent quality: it can be acquired
through learned behaviours, thoughts and actions.
Among the ways of building resilience to stress are:
∑ Maintaining and forming relationships: relationships are often among the first
things to suffer when someone is under stress, but good relationships are critical for
mental and physical health. Relationships are also a good source of support and a
sympathetic ear, while offering help and support to others can make you feel good
about yourself;
∑ Exercise: physical exertion helps counteract the effects of stress and can also
lead to better sleep;
∑ Relaxation: easier said than done when you’re stressed, but setting aside
some time to unwind can be a good way of easing the pressure. Whether it’s yoga or
meditation, or even a walk in the park, time out of a normal busy schedule can help
you get a new perspective;
∑ Having fun: laughter can reduce stress and help us feel more positive. Even if
you don’t feel ‘in the mood’, making an effort to do fun activities, particularly when
they are with friends, can mitigate the effects of stress;
∑ Positive attitude: focusing on how things could be better in the future, rather
than the seemingly insurmountable problems in the present, can make them feel less
daunting. Similarly, changing the way you look at a situation can take away some of

2. its power to frighten you, while it could also be helpful to look at the positive things in
your life, rather than just the negative ones;
∑ Taking control: people who are stressed often feel at the mercy of events
beyond their control, but even initiating small actions can give you a sense of
empowerment, which can give you the confidence to take bigger steps;
∑ Acceptance: some things you may not be able to change, at least in the short
term, so instead of worrying about things that are beyond your control, focus on
those things you can alter;
∑ Keep working at it: resilience takes time to build, so it’s important not to be
discouraged if you don’t see the effects immediately. Instead, persevere with the
strategies you find work best, and be assured that resilience is not innate and is
something that can be learned.
The American Psychological Association publishes some useful advice on dealing
with stress and building resilience. Sufferers should also consult a doctor if it is
affecting their mental or physical well-being.
But it is important to recognize that stress does not have to take a heavy toll. It may
be hard to avoid, but it can be tamed.
Follow Nick on Twitter @nsdmorrison
Nick Morrison
Contributor
Nick is a freelance journalist specializing in education. His career so far has taken in
regional and national newspapers and magazines, including Forbes and The Daily
Telegraph.