Mental health for educators involves both factors within our control and those beyond it. Recognising the difference allows us to focus our energy where it can make the most impact.

As the founder and lead practitioner at Greater Space, I’ve had the privilege of counselling hundreds of Australian educators. Combining these experiences with insights from academic research, I’ve put together a list of mental health strategies that go beyond the usual advice of ‘taking a deep breath’ or ‘practising mindfulness.’ While these are effective tools, I want to share more targeted, actionable tips that we’ve found to be genuinely transformative for educators. So what can you do to take control of your mental health? Read on.

Role clarity: Define it yourself

One of the most common sources of stress for educators is the overwhelming nature of the role. Teaching often feels like juggling multiple, competing demands, with no clear picture of what “success” looks like. This ambiguity can leave teachers feeling like they’re always falling short, regardless of how much they achieve.

Role clarity is positively correlated with work satisfaction and wellbeing. While job descriptions may remain broad, taking the initiative to define the core tasks and values you want to prioritise each day can significantly reduce stress. Start by choosing no more than five key tenets that will guide your work and hold yourself accountable to those. So although we need to plan, mark, call, email, liaise, relate, set boundaries etc. We might want to approach a day with some basic functions like:

1. Completed all tasks that are due today
2. Treated colleagues and students with empathy
3. Remembered to eat lunch

By narrowing your focus, you give yourself clear, achievable goals to celebrate, shifting your mindset from ‘never enough’ to ‘I’ve done enough.’

Key takeaways:

• Define your own success by setting a few core priorities for each day
• Celebrate small wins to combat feelings of inadequacy
• Focus on what you can control within your role to reduce overwhelm

Switch off: signal to your body when the day is done

It is very easy to have home become a place to recharge for work, as opposed to a place where your life is happening in addition to your work. It can also be very easy for work to spill into personal time. Whether it’s answering emails late at night or worrying about a task you forgot, home can start to feel like an extension of the school day. This blurring of boundaries leads to burnout over time, as there’s no clear divide between work and personal life.

To combat this, it is worth reminding ourselves with a clear signal that the day is done. Some people change clothes, others have a shower, sometimes just saying it in your head ‘work is over, time for home’ can be useful. By practising this daily we can diminish the number of times we wake up at 3am with a thought about something we forgot to do. Our body gets used to winding down and letting go of work, and putting itself into home mode.

Key takeaways:

1. Create a physical or mental cue to signal the end of your workday.
2. Separate work and home life by practising this habit daily.
3. Promote better sleep and relaxation by allowing your mind to fully disengage from work.

Have a routine: an early warning system

Routines are not only great for maintaining structure, but they also serve as early indicators of stress or overwhelm. When we have a routine we can get a clear signal that a question needs to be asked if the routine changes. For example, if you usually workout 3 times a week and suddenly find yourself skipping workouts, it’s important to consider –  was it just a really busy week, or is it an early sign that stress is building up? Without a routine it is hard to pick up stress in the early stages and the compounding nature of stress means we can end up feeling awful before we’ve meaningfully addressed it. Small acts of prevention are easier than treatment.

Having routines for exercise, sleep, or even simple self-care rituals can help you monitor your mental and physical wellbeing. Prevention is always easier than dealing with burnout, so use your routine as a tool to catch early signs of trouble.

Key takeaways:

1. Establish regular routines (exercise, sleep, self-care) to monitor your wellbeing.
2. Use disruptions in your routine as an early signal to assess your stress levels.
3. Prevent burnout by addressing stress before it escalates.

Be proactive: talk to a professional

Our most obvious recommendation is to speak to a professional. If you saw someone with a broken leg, you wouldn’t tell them to walk it off – the same needs to apply to our mental health. We need to shift our perspective to take away the stigma of talking with a professional. Prevention is better than cure, so we wouldn’t recommend waiting until things are at crisis point to engage with mental health care. Be preemptive, and then use it as required. 

Key takeaways:

• Talk to a mental health professional such as the people at Greater Space
• Prevention is key—address issues early to avoid larger challenges down the road.

Consider communication: diminish anxiety for everyone

This may sound obvious, but when we are communicating with each other we create a more safe and secure atmosphere when we are mindful of how our words will be received. A vague or unclear email can easily spark anxiety in the recipient. For instance, an email saying, ‘I’d love to talk to you at the end of the day’,can cause undue stress, as the recipient is likely to assume the worst – often wondering if they are in trouble or going to be fired. 

To reduce anxiety for yourself and others, aim for clarity and transparency in your communications. Instead of sending a message that leaves room for worry, provide context. If it’s a positive or neutral conversation, say so. Or better yet, call the person rather than email. Creating a safe, calm atmosphere through clear communication benefits everyone.

Key takeaways:

1. Be mindful of your communication by providing clear context in emails or messages.
2. Avoid vague statements that could cause anxiety for others.
3. Foster a safe and calm work environment through direct and transparent communication.
   

Make wellbeing sustainable

Investing in mental health is essential for sustaining the energy, focus, and passion needed to thrive as an educator. While some factors are beyond our control, there are many areas where intentional actions can make a significant difference. By taking practical steps to manage stress and establish healthy boundaries, educators can create a more balanced and fulfilling professional life. These strategies not only help reduce the pressures of the job but also encourage a more mindful approach to wellbeing, both in the classroom and at home.

Benji Gersh

Founder/ lead counsellor at Greater Space

Benji Gersh is the founder and lead counsellor at Greater Space. Greater Space is a unique mental health service targeted specifically to those in education settings, or other helping professions.

Benji has worked in schools as a teacher and school leader. He has worked in the education sector as a trainer in trauma-informed practices all over Australia.
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He is a registered Neuro-sequential Model In Education Trainer with Bruce Perry’s ChildTrauma Academy and is a Critical Incident Stress Management practitioner.

As a registered ACA Counsellor, Benji prioritises the necessity of healthy mental wellbeing for successful work. He loves playing and working outdoors and is happy to accommodate your needs into creating the most useful session possible