Rest, Prep, Burnout, Repeat – And Then I Walked Away

I’ve been out of the classroom for just over a month now. And while I do miss being in the teaching space and spending time with the children, what’s amazed me the most is how much energy I have – and how much time I now have for self-care. That’s something I struggled to even consider when I was a practitioner.

“Don’t Forget All the School Holidays…”

When I started my teacher training, one of the key messages I was given was:
“You should not be leaving before the class teacher. You will be burnt out – and if you’re not, you’re not working hard enough.”
You might think that’s an exaggeration, but sadly, it’s not.

This mindset didn’t shift once I had my own class either. Teachers who left the building at 4:30pm were quietly shamed and gossiped about. The assumption? They clearly didn’t care enough about their children. On the other hand, those of us who stayed until the building closed (often 6:30pm or even 7:00pm) were praised – even idolised – as dedicated and selfless.

And that doesn’t even include the additional hours spent working from home.

Being exhausted was expected. Burnout was the norm. If you weren’t constantly overwhelmed, people questioned your commitment.

Whenever I expressed how exhausted I was, the response was usually:
“But you get all that holiday.”

Here’s the reality: those “holidays” are rarely restful. They’re often expensive, filled with appointments you couldn’t book during term time, and usually spent either recovering from term or preparing for the next one. It’s not a real break – it’s survival.

And for the record, we do not get paid during holidays. Our pay is calculated hourly and then spread out across 12 months. Those “paid breaks” are an illusion.

The Retention Crisis: Why Teachers Are Leaving

It might shock some people to hear there’s a teacher shortage. But it shouldn’t – it’s all over the news. What the headlines often miss, though, is that education isn’t just struggling to recruit – it’s struggling to retain.

Many teachers enter the profession full of passion and purpose. But they soon discover that the role demands more than they can physically and emotionally give. It’s not just the workload – it’s the culture of sacrifice. You’re expected to give everything, all the time.

Even the most experienced teachers – those who’ve dedicated a decade or more – are stepping away. Not because they don’t love teaching, but because they can’t afford to keep sacrificing their health and wellbeing for it.

After 13 years in early years education, I reached that point myself. I realised I couldn’t keep going. I had to make the hardest decision of my career:
It was time to put myself first.

Life After the Classroom

Since stepping away from teaching and starting my freelance journey, I can’t believe how different life feels.

I sleep better. I wake up with time to stretch, do yoga, and ease into the day. Evenings are no longer filled with marking or planning – I have the space to cook dinner, clean my home, and just be. I’ve rediscovered hobbies. I’ve reconnected with my family, both emotionally and physically. The constant guilt has lifted. There are no more Sunday blues, no endless to-do lists – just time.

I even booked a midweek, affordable holiday with my husband – something that would have felt impossible before.

It’s the small things that have made the biggest difference. Things like having time to go to the dentist. Or choosing a weekday slot for an appointment. It feels like I’ve finally reclaimed my life.

The Culture Must Change

Ten years is enough. I gave my heart and soul to teaching. And while I’ll always be proud of that, I hope that future generations of teachers are able to thrive in a profession that values them, not just their output.

Because self-sacrifice should not be the mark of a good teacher.

That mindset needs to change. If it doesn’t, we’ll continue to lose wonderful, passionate, and experienced educators – not because they’ve failed, but because they’ve been failed by the system