Some educators push through their exhaustion for so long that they stop noticing how deeply it’s affecting them. Burnout doesn’t always show up as a breakdown. It sneaks in quietly. It builds over time. You might look functional from the outside, but inside, your energy is leaking.
Here are five signs you might be more burned out than you realize:
1. You feel numb, not just tired. You make it through the day, but nothing lights you up. The little moments that used to make you smile now barely register.
2. You avoid small tasks. Simple things like returning an email or printing a lesson plan feel heavier than they should. You put them off until the last possible second.
3. You sleep, but you’re never rested. Even with a full night’s sleep, you wake up already drained.
4. You feel detached. You care about your students, but you feel distant. Conversations feel scripted. You zone out in meetings. You answer with “I’m fine” because it’s easier.
5. You second-guess your ability. You used to feel confident. Lately, you wonder if you’re even good at this anymore.
These signs don’t mean you’re failing. They mean you’re human. Teaching takes more from you than most jobs. You need a chance to refill, not push harder.
Burnout rarely gets better without intentional change. Naming it is the first step. You can’t fix what you’re unwilling to see. But you don’t have to stay stuck here.
Take the Educator Burnout Assessment and get a clear picture of where you stand. You deserve to know the truth about how you’re doing.