The Day I Realised Feeling Unwell Wasn't Normal

Looking back, I don't think there was one dramatic moment when everything changed. It was more a realisation that I'd been living with stress for so long that I'd stopped noticing it.

Like so many teachers, nursery and school leaders, I'd accepted poor sleep, constant fatigue and feeling overwhelmed as part of working in education. I believed they were simply signs that I cared deeply about the children, the staff and my role.

The problem is that when stress becomes normal, you stop questioning it. You tell yourself that once this busy period is over, things will settle down. Then another busy period comes along, and the cycle continues.

The reality is that burnout rarely arrives without warning. It often begins with the small signs we dismiss because they seem so common in education. The more familiar they become, the easier they are to ignore.

It wasn't until I experienced burnout that I realised feeling unwell should never have been my normal. Caring deeply about our work shouldn't come at the expense of our health.

Perhaps the question isn't whether you're coping. Perhaps it's whether you've become so accustomed to stress that you've forgotten what feeling well actually feels like.

Can I ask that today, even right now, you ask yourself the question: How am I? If, like many educators, you are experiencing headaches, stomach pain, poor sleep, irritability, low mood or so many other symptoms, please pause to notice, and consider whether you need to take action. One small step for yourself can make a difference.

Recognising that difference could be the first step towards preventing burnout.

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