Dear Nona,

I love teaching, but lately, I often feel a sense of dread going to work. It’s not that I want to quit, but I don’t feel the joy I used to. How can I get it back—and avoid full-on burnout?

— Tired But Trying

Dear Tired But Trying,

Let me tell you something you won’t hear in staff PD: loving teaching doesn’t mean you have to love every day of it.

That heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach? So many teachers carry it. You’re not broken—you’re overwhelmed. And you are not alone.

Here’s what I know:

Joy doesn’t disappear. It gets buried.

Under paperwork.
Under unrealistic expectations.
Under the 5,011 emails you answered before your first sip of coffee.

Let’s dig it back up:

—Start by Naming What’s Weighing You Down

Is it the workload? The constant change? The isolation? The feeling that no matter how much you do, it’s not enough? Put words to it. Write it out. Burnout thrives in silence.

—Reclaim One Thing That Feeds You

—One lesson you love.
—One ritual you enjoy.
—One moment of peace that’s yours. Start there. Build from that small joy.

—Protect the Edges of Your Day

Don’t begin or end your day with school. Reclaim your mornings and evenings. Make them sacred. Even 15 minutes of something just for you can soften the sharp edges.

—Find Your People

You need someone who will laugh with you about how the fire drill interrupted your best lesson and not say, “Have you tried mindfulness?”  Colleagues, mentors, online communities—don’t isolate. Connection is oxygen.

What to Expect Next:

—The dread won’t vanish overnight—but it will shrink when you stop carrying it alone.

—You’ll find small sparks again. Follow them.

—And when it gets really dark? You rest. You don’t quit.

And listen—burnout doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you’ve cared too much for too long without refilling your own tank. Start small. Joy sneaks back in through cracks, not doorways.

Don’t forget: You’re still a good teacher on the hard days. Especially on the hard days. ♡

— Nona

More Pro Tips

Ms. R: “I keep a folder called ‘Why I Stay.’ It has emails, drawings, and sticky notes from kids. On the worst days, I open it.”

Mr. P: “Every Friday, I write one line in a notebook: ‘One thing that made me smile.’ It keeps me grounded.”

Mrs. J: “I started doing walking meetings with another teacher. Less burnout, more steps, better perspective.”