Teacher Stress Vs. Stress Management For Entrepreneur Teachers

Working on your teacher business and/or in the classroom?

Check.

Love to help others?

Check.

Dealing with the stress of teaching AND being an entrepreneur teacher?

Probably.

Enjoying a healthy work-life balance?

Working on it. Or, maybe . . . not so much.

If teacher stress is impacting your business, there is something you can do. And it starts with learning about stress and stress management. Let's work on understanding what stress is (it may not be what you think) and how it impacts you as a teacher CEO. 

We'll also delve into effective stress management: what it is, practical solutions you can begin incorporating today, and resources for ongoing support.   

What is Stress?

A basic definition of stress is "a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances." This is what most of us think of as "stress." While correct, this definition is limited. It implies that stress comes from external circumstances when a lot of stress comes from the internal demands we place on ourselves. This means we are often the stress trigger. 

In addition, stress is not only mental or emotional. It’s highly physiological - it's a process that happens in our bodies. Understanding stress requires understanding the natural, physiological process called "the stress cycle." 

Stress can't be controlled, but it can hamper our businesses and loves. We can understand it better and use our knowledge to manage the stressors that come our way. Managing teacherpreneur stress is what the Teacher Life Balance Membership is all about.

Learn in-depth about the stress cycle. 

What is the Stress Cycle?

The stress cycle begins when you perceive stress as tension or pressure in your body and/or mind whenever you perceive a real or imagined threat. It ends when your system has had a chance to process the stress fully. Stress triggers can be conscious or unconscious, internal or external. Learn more about what stress triggers are and how to deal with them.

The stress cycle includes a few steps or progressions: 

1. It begins with the trigger (outside your mind/body control). 
2. You take in information to determine a response. 
3. You react through a physiological response that you also have no control over (i.e., fight, flight, fawn, freeze). 
4. You become actively aware of stress occurring. 
5. Finally, you cope with the stress to complete the cycle and return to "neutral,” or nervous system homeostasis. Coping can be healthy or unhealthy. Effective stress management always uses healthy coping strategies.

The stress response cycle is normal and healthy. We experience it all the time. However, we can get stuck in the cycle if we don't become aware of the stress and cope in a healthy way.

How Teacher Stress Impacts You As A Teacher CEO

Teacher stress is a real thing, as you already know. Almost half of teachers quit within the first five years, and about a third of teachers report extreme stress as the reason they leave. 

In addition, teachers report double the stress of the average American worker. 

As a result, teachers are becoming teacherpreneurs. For instance, you’re probably already a TPT seller, or know someone who is. Or, maybe you’ve turned your TPT side hustle into a full blown business.

While this is an empowering step, it also brings considerable stress. Teacher burnout and stress can carry over into your teacher business, exacerbating stress levels. For example, as teachers, we’re used to overworking. This habit transfers to being a teacher CEO, making us more vulnerable to getting stuck in a stress cycle. This state of chronic stress has extremely detrimental effects on your brain, body, and life.

Now that we've talked about stress, let's discuss stress management. 

What is Effective Stress Management for Teacherpreneurs?

Stress management refers to all the tools, strategies, habits, and practices we use to manage stress healthily as entrepreneur teachers. It requires self-awareness, education, and proactively supporting our bodies and minds. Stress management is never a one-size-fits-all solution, nor is it a one-off. It's a lifestyle and system that takes time to create and evolve. As your needs change, so do your stress levels and stress management system. 

The concept of curation is vital here. 

You build a stress management system that addresses your life and business by curating the resources, tools, habits, and practices that help you. This is why no one can do it for you. While you can't control stress, you can 100% control your stress management system.

Doesn't that feel good?

Stress management for teachers and teacher CEOs is dynamic and involves things like:

• Teacher business-building activities like marketing, branding, bookkeeping, website admin, or products/services creation  

• Teaching activities like lesson planning, class time, meetings, keeping up with the latest regulations and tech, or student support

• Life activities and roles like being a good neighbor or friend, date nights, housework, cooking, meal shopping, spirituality, and self-care
• And the list goes on . . .

If you're feeling overwhelmed, you're normal. Who wouldn't undertake all of this and not experience a considerable amount of stress, doubt, or overwhelm? The critical thing to remember is you don't have to go it alone or spend your life putting out fires. You can build a proactive system that significantly reduces and relieves stress while you accomplish your goals. 

Stress Management for Entrepreneur Teachers: How to Build a Stress Management System from the Ground Up

If you follow me on Instagram, you know how much I talk about stress management. Simply put, this world needs people with clear, compassionate, and comprehensive stress management strategies.

So, let's all imagine a less stressed world, starting with you.

Here are some stress management basics to help you right now:

• Acknowledge and learn more about the stress of teaching and being an entrepreneur so you know what you're dealing with.

• Learn about the four types of stress triggers and ways to identify them. This will help you become aware of the stress to manage it consciously.

• Familiarize yourself with ways to respond to different triggers. Here's an article on responding to stress triggers. 

• Recognize the early signs of stress specific to you. This includes learning how your body responds to stress. What signals does it send? What's your stress response profile? For example, are you more likely to go into freeze, flight, fawn, or fight?

• Develop a mini-stress management system with this free stress relief kit. 

• Browse some teacher self-care ideas and choose one to try out.

In the Teacher Life-Balance Membership, we go into detail about these things and more. We use a highly effective 5-step process to build a stress management system from the ground up, all customized to you.

A Guided Journey to Create Your Stress Management System is Here

The Teacher Business Balance Membership is all about stress management for teacher CEOs. It was created for entrepreneur teachers by a teacherpreneur. I wanted to offer a container that would hold all the resources, information, tools, and support that you'd need to create a life and business you deserve. The membership focuses on stress management strategies across the various areas of your life - home, productivity, business, life, teaching, self-care, and more. 

Each month, we'll Zoom to discuss different business concepts that will make your more efficient and less stressed, have a Q&A session, and collaborate on a different resource. You'll use a workbook to personally curate and design a teacher stress management system, with the ongoing support of myself and the community.

You don’t have to figure out how to be an entrepreneur teacher by yourself or continue suffering from high stress! It’s time to get the support you need to succeed with your teacher business.

Learn more about it or get on the waitlist right here.