There's a global pandemic and yet, I'm so much less stressed because I'm not at school

[RoRoRosa]

This is a wake up call for me.

My skin has cleared up, I've slept for a full every night since Saturday and I genuinely feel like a burden has lifted off my shoulders.

WTF.

Don’t feel guilty about it! I suspect you’re not the only one feeling like this.

Your title of the thread caught my eye. I am not involved in education/schools but I am experiencing the same. I have spent so much time worrying about work in the last few years, but for the last week and a half, I have slept like a log and calm. I am anxious about the virus, and complying with lock down, but I feel like for the first time in years I can breathe. Time for a change I think. And I expect a lot of people in all sorts of professions will feel the same.

I feel exactly the same. Cant remember feeling so relaxed. Says it all about our work!

Yup.

Don't get me wrong, our online platform is raising my blood pressure daily but nowhere like normal.

I feel guilty I'm not doing live lessons etc then I remember I teach in a rural, heavily farming based area. Lots of kids without WiFi, laptops etc. They'd get left behind if I carried on with lessons without them.

But yes, I slept well on Sunday for the first time in she's.

I'm a type 1 diabetic and since I've been off school, my blood sugar control has been almost completely in target. It's gone from an average of 9+ to 7.6.

I know that won't mean much to most people, but that is MASSIVE! I'm obviously anxious about Corona being in the vulnerable group, but the difference is stark. My dc are so much more relaxed too.

I'd honestly much prefer us all to be back at work and for this to not have happened. But this is a bit of a wake up call. It's crossed my mind whether the middle manager role is worth it with the new Ofsted framework etc. I'm beginning to think not.

I’m the opposite.
I miss it so much. Stockholm syndrome?! 😂

I feel the same. I am a nanny I work for two families but only going into one at the moment and I feel so much less stressed I can't tell you. I think I need to make some changes 😩

I really miss the kids, particularly my year 11s, my tutor group and my year 13s but the endless ofsted/exam pressure?! Not even slightly.

I've been in school each day but so much less tired than normal:

Small, peaceful classes
Time to talk to every child
Tick to acknowledge work instead of in-depth markings
Senior team who appreciate me just turning up instead of asking why some children won't meet their targets
Taking a whole lunch hour to eat and chat instead of having working lunches
Getting to know members of staff that I've never really spoken to before
PE every afternoon (without following the scheme of work) because it's been lovely and sunny and we know the children will be cooped up when they get home
Lots of art
No work in the evenings (wfh teachers are sorting planning for us and for the children who aren't coming into school)

I feel very sorry for the senior team, especially our Head: it's a logistical nightmare, loads of stress and pressure, very long hours. But as a classroom teacher, my work life balance has improved dramatically.

DH and I (both teachers) have said similar- it is a bit of a wake up call. We need to think about this in the long term.

Yes, same here.

I'm just the same, I'm working hard from home writing schemes of work and I have online training modules yet I feel so much less stressed and am sleeping well. Feel guilty that there's a pandemic yet (for now at least) my quality of life has improved

I suspect when this is over a lot of people will be reassessing their lives and making changes.

Not a teacher but feel similarly, especially stopping a long commute.

Have thought hard many times before about a job change and investigated options, but it is hard, depending on financial and other circumstances, eg relationship, pension, where you live (jobs available etc), DC ages, skills.

In the last few years have made lots of smaller changes that have helped health wise, eg not working long hours/corner cutting, exercise, nutrition, v little alcohol.

It's not just teachers who feel like this. There has been a big improvement in my son's mental health since school stopped. (He has no SEN and is a good student).

I suspect when this is over a lot of people will be reassessing their lives and making changes.

If only we could reassess SCHOOL and make changes! If we could keep some of these good things that would be a real silver lining.

I suspect the opposite will happen though- when we get back and there is the pressure to 'catch them up'.

I’m ill with suspected Covid. It’s pretty horrible. But even so the lack of work related stress is amazing.
Life does need to change.

Yes it's definitely made me think differently. I don't think it's made me want to leave teaching (if anything it's made me realise how lucky we are to have a secure job and income.) It has made me think differently about the stress I put on myself (or allow others to) and that I don't need my lessons to be all singing all dancing, that they still learn more in my lesson than they would without me, and that I do make a difference. I'm hoping that when I go back I can just relax a bit and enjoy it more, and just concentrate on my lessons.
It's also made me realise that if I want to remain part time once the kids are older and look after them and the house that is OK and I'm not wasting my career/time. I'm loving this quieter pace and time with my kids.

Dh is SLT and almost half the staff are in isolation so he's been going in every day - he looks haunted, exhausted and I'm so worried about him

Worried about him catching it and not being in full health because of the stress to fight it off

When I am working at home staying safe it is so much better. I agree that the lack of school deadlines is amazing.

At school, very stressful. Not all our staff are being safe. I know we can't always stay 2m from the children or keep them 2m from each other but we should be keeping 2m away from each other as adults.

For SLT it must be horrible. The responsibility is huge and there is no clear guidance on best practice. Feeling like someone could die if you get it wrong. I really feel for the SLT.

I’m SLT and it is very stressful. I’m thankful for my great staff team. It’s the government to blame for my extreme stress over the past two weeks. It would be great if some good changes come out of this awful situation.

I don't think we can continue and go straight back into the way we were. It would be madness to leap straight back into full schools and crowded classrooms. Surely a half week / half class at first makes more sense? Otherwise we will just be setting it off again. And no ofsted or sats / assessments the following year either.

I was thinking this yesterday, during my first day of working from home. I did some work, made dhal and flatbreads, went for a long walk, did some yoga, read my book. It was a lovely day and felt so good to be out of the hamster wheel for a while.

I know that some of the stresses of work are of my own making, and that I expect too much of myself. I'd already been more mindful of that before the C word began, but need to keep remembering it.

Yesterday reminded me that having the time to walk, and to cook something slowly rather than just rushing to get a meal on the tab le, are both really important to me.

I'd be fine if I didn't have DH - also a teacher- at home , under my feet and bored. He is one of those types who cannot normally stay inside a house all day.

But , even though I have been ill, I don't have that crushing sense of grinding day to day exhaustion.

I feel the same. Really now questioning if I'm in the right school/career.

Although when I'm there I love it. I just hadn't realised how stressed I am when I'm there because I've never just 'stopped' before.