Mindfulness Eases Stressed Out Teachers, Researchers Say

Lisa Franchi September 02, 2013

Teaching is a very rewarding profession but is one of the most stressful. It is very usual for many teachers to wake up at the crack of dawn to prepare for another school day and end each night with a bunch of lesson plans and paper works. But practising mind-and-body exercises could help them deal with stress and overcome burnout, a new study suggests.

Published in the journal Mind, Brain and Education, a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison revealed that teachers who practised mindfulness strategies had lower stress levels, higher self-compassion, and better organisation skills.

The study involved 18 teachers who took a mindfulness-based stress reduction course wherein they learned simple mindfulness strategies including paying special attention to breath and other sensations and thoughts. The participants were asked to practise these strategies every day, for only fifteen minutes.

Compared with teachers who didn’t attend the mindfulness class, the study participants experienced less stress and more self-compassion. Meanwhile, those who didn’t practise mindfulness strategies experienced more stress and burnout at the end of the school year.

"Breath awareness was just one part of the training, but it was something that I was able to consistently put into practice," said Elizabeth Miller, one of the study participants. According to her, mindfulness strategies helped her recognise how students feel physically and emotionally before reacting to something. “I think this act of self-monitoring was the biggest long-term benefit for both students and teachers."

Mindfulness is a proven health practice that is certainly not just helpful for teachers but for other professionals as well. Last year, a study published in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine found that mindfulness helped reduced burnout among healthcare providers and increased their sense of well-being.

It is also beneficial to everyone else, professional or non-professional, young or old, men or women. Various studies have shown that practising mindfulness strategies such as mindful breathing, yoga and meditation can lower stress, help people conquer common ‘blind spots’ in life, improve test performance of students, help people deal with pain, anxiety and depression, and so on. Studies on neuroscience also revealed that mindfulness can change the brain’s chemistry in a good and protective way, slowing down memory loss and enhancing vital cognitive functions.

Do you incorporate mindfulness in your daily life? What tips and strategies can you share to other people who are looking to make it part of their lifestyle as well? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below.

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Mindfulness Could Prevent Teacher Burnout, Study Suggests