Stress as an Early Childhood Practitioner

Becoming an educator originates from our hard work and effort in school. As working educators, we further develop our knowledge base through professional development, reflective practice, and hands-on experiences. These are specific areas of our practice where we have control of our success and work satisfaction. Research shows that "teachers' positive attitudes toward their jobs are likely to be associated with the quality of their teaching and interactions with children."

Measuring our success as educators depends on several factors outside our control. Educators witness the incremental growth of each child in our care. Still, our effectiveness as educators in the eyes of others originates from measurable student development (testing) and external recognition. The profession's demands and reliance on outside sources for recognition may cause stress in our lives.

Webster's Dictionary defines stress as "the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time." People in the helping professions, like teaching, experience stress. It is a byproduct of giving ourselves to others as we move through the cycle of care. Our body is designed to experience stress and react to it when we experience changes or challenges in life. Stress is not always bad. Stress makes us more alert and ready for action. Some people utilize times of stress to do their best work. Working under stress is only adequate or healthy for a short time. Early symptoms of too much stress in our life include increased aches and pains, exhaustion, stomach upset, and increased illness. Long-term stress can cause anxiety and depression.

Do educators experience more stress than people in other professions?

One study from 2015 states that 24% of early childhood educators show depressive symptoms compared to 8.5% of the general public. Another study shared that one in five educators experience stress at work compared with one in eight people in all other jobs. During the current pandemic, work-related stress has increased, with 75% of people in the helping professions feeling stress at work versus 40% in the general workforce.

When educators experience stress at work, the quality of interactions with children decreases, and professional motivation diminishes. A University of Nebraska study shared three leading causes of stress for early childhood educators: powerlessness in decision-making, the inescapable responsibility of teaching, and the lack of respect from people outside the profession. Other educator stress contributors include multitasking, technology interaction, and too many sensory inputs.

How can educators reduce the amount of stress they experience?

To reduce stress, first, educators need to practice acceptance and that we cannot control everything in our lives or the classroom. Educators must also learn to say "no" more often than we do. Multitasking is a byproduct of teaching. Trying to do too much at once robs us of the moment we are experiencing. Educators are leaders in the classroom and tend to talk more than we listen. Learning to listen helps us connect to the moment, grow, develop deeper connections with others, and learn. Along with these basic practices, educators can engage in other healthy practices to help lower stress.

Exercise – Engaging in some form of daily movement can help relieve stress and improve our physical well-being. Moving through the day without physical limitations is a cornerstone of well-being. Taking time to exercise and move more often will help us with the daily challenges of caring for others.

Reflective Practice – Applying some form of contemplative practice can help educators recognize and work with our emotional challenges in the classroom. Writing daily pages, a journal, or practicing expressive writing can help educators cope with feelings about a specific event or the daily stress of working in a helping profession.

Mindfulness Training – Taking time in the day to be still and release some of the stress we experience as educators is vital to maintaining our effectiveness in the classroom. Meditation, breathing exercises, easy stretching, or a quiet walk is time to think and be present. Spending time in a calm space helps us recharge our batteries to provide for others.

Eat Well – Food influences well-being. The type of foods people consume on a regular basis contributes to how they feel physically and emotionally. Maintaining a balanced diet by eating less processed food and consuming more plant foods will help educators feel their best, have plentiful energy, and regulate their stress levels.

Sleep – The amount of sleep a person experiences each day has a significant influence on their reaction to stressful events. Experts recommended that people get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night to reduce stress and enjoy increased well-being. Good sleep is supported by having less exposure to screens at night, especially one hour before bedtime. More sleep supports educators' work in the classroom and helps us cope with the day's stress. 

Practice Gratitude – Taking time each day during meditation, journaling, or a quiet walk to practice gratitude can help educators cope with stress. It is easy during times of stress to feel like the world is crumbling around us. Even on the most challenging days, thinking about or writing about three things we are grateful for can help us gain perspective on life's complex and stressful experiences.

Our development as educators begins with formal education and continues with experience, professional development, and reflective practice. The measure of our success as an educator is not always in our control. Powerlessness and other factors contribute to the stress we experience in our profession. Helping others is demanding work that requires us to multitask and always be available. Our work assisting others creates stress in our lives. Educators experience twice as much stress as people in non-helping professions. Taking time at the beginning or end of the day to engage in one or more stress-reducing activities can help educators cope with the profession's demands.

As educators reduce the stress in their lives, interactions in the classroom blossom, creating new opportunities for educators, children, and families to thrive together.

What practices do you engage in to help you cope with stress?