Teaching is a job that never really ends. The school day might finish, but there’s always something else like marking, lesson planning, emails, and meetings. The work piles up. And if you’re not careful, it can take over very quickly.
That’s a poor work-life balance, and it takes a toll. It can drain your energy, hurt your physical and mental health, and make it harder to stay motivated. Plus, a job that once felt meaningful can start to feel overwhelming.
At MarkSmart, we understand the pressures teachers face. In this article, we share some practical strategies to help you manage your workload, set boundaries, and make the job more sustainable.
1. Set Clear Boundaries
Protecting your time isn’t selfish. Work will keep spilling into every spare minute if you let it. Setting boundaries can be a great first step to achieving a good work-life balance. It gives you a better chance at being more present in your family life and recharging so you can actually enjoy teaching. Here are a few clear boundaries you can set:
- Set a realistic end time for your workday: It might not always be possible to walk out the door at 4:30pm on the dot, but having a general cut-off point for the end of your workday can help. Some things will always roll over to the next day, and that’s okay.
- Be mindful of how much work follows you home: Marking and planning will sometimes spill into personal time, but try not to let it be the norm. If schoolwork is taking up most of your evenings, see if there’s anything you can adjust. This could potentially be tackling marking in focused blocks at school or using tech to lighten the load.
- Communicate your availability: Parents, students, and colleagues may reach out at all hours, but that doesn’t mean you have to be available 24/7. It can be a good idea to set expectations early on. For example, letting students know when you check emails or scheduling office hours for parent queries.
2. Prioritise and Streamline Tasks
There’s never enough time to get everything done. That’s just the reality of teaching. But not everything on your list needs the same level of attention. A big part of achieving work-life balance is being clear on what’s important and what’s just adding to the pile. For instance:
- Focus on high-impact tasks: If a task directly benefits student learning, it’s worth your time.
- Plan smarter, not harder: Group similar tasks together to avoid bouncing between jobs all day. Set specific times for lesson planning, marking, and emails instead of switching back and forth.
- Learn when to say no: Schools always need volunteers for committees, events, and extra responsibilities.
The goal shouldn’t be to do more, but rather to do what matters most while keeping your workload manageable.
3. Leverage Technology to Save Time
Marking is one of the biggest time-draining tasks for teachers. Using the right tools can give you back some control over your personal life without compromising on the quality of your teaching. That’s where MarkSmart’s code-based marking software can help. With MarkSmart, you can save up to 40% of the time you spend on marking. This can give you back hours each week!
Another way to use tech to work smarter may be to use lesson planning templates to eliminate the need to start from scratch every time or lean on AI for some fresh ideas. You could also consider automating emails where possible. For instance, if you find yourself answering the same questions over and over, you could set up an auto-reply or a template response.
Another idea is to use digital scheduling tools. For example, a shared digital calendar or scheduling app can help you organise your time, set reminders, and even enable parents or colleagues to book time with you without the back-and-forth emails.
4. Foster a Supportive Work Environment
Teaching can be tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. A strong support system can make a huge difference when it comes to handling work-related stress. Here are some things to consider:
- Share the workload: If lesson planning is eating up too much time, you could team up with other teachers to swap resources and ideas. Even something as simple as sharing worksheets can help.
- Ask for help when needed: If you’re struggling with expectations or an overwhelming workload, don’t suffer in silence. Speak with a mentor, a colleague, or your leadership team to explore possible solutions.
- Find small ways to support each other: Teaching can be easier when you have people in your corner. From swapping classroom management strategies to covering for each other when needed, or just sharing a lunch or morning tea, strong connections with colleagues can make a big difference.
Sometimes a supportive work environment doesn’t just happen on its own. But it’s something you can help to build by reaching out, collaborating, and advocating for realistic workloads.
5. Prioritise Well-being
Teaching can take a lot out of you, both mentally and physically. So, you need to make sure you’re putting something back in. Part of achieving a healthy work-life balance is finding time for things that help you switch off. For example, going for a stroll outside, spending some time enjoying a hobby, or just sitting down with a coffee to do nothing for a few minutes.
Stress can build up fast, so it’s important to have a way to manage it. Simple things like deep breathing, mindfulness exercises, or even just chatting with a colleague can be helpful. If your school offers wellness programs, use them.
Teachers spend so much time looking after others, they sometimes forget to look after themselves. Your mental and physical health matter. If you’re exhausted, stretched too thin, or constantly running on fumes, everything can become harder than it needs to be. You can’t be at your best at home or in the classroom if you never take time to reset.
Achieve a better work-life balance with MarkSmart
Teaching can be full-on, but that doesn’t mean it has to take over your whole life. Making some little changes here and there, like setting boundaries, reducing the amount of unnecessary tasks you agree to take on, and using the right tools, can help improve work-life balance. And without making you feel like you’re constantly falling behind!
If you’re spending very long hours each week marking, there’s a solution. MarkSmart’s code-based marking software can take a big chunk of that workload off your plate by cutting marking time by up to 40%. That’s time you could spend planning better lessons, leaving work when you’re supposed to, or just taking better care of yourself.
A poor work-life balance affects everything, not just your ability to teach well. Teaching will always be demanding, but it shouldn’t take everything from you. Want to have a sneak peek at just some of the wonderful benefits MarkSmart can offer you? Take it for a test drive with free and instant demo access.