Winter Burnout – Are you or your students at risk?

Unlike seasonal affective disorder, which recognises the relationship between environmental conditions and well-being across the year, Winter Burnout considers the unique stresses — physical, psychological, and mental well-being — on individuals at this particular time. And it’s not simply a matter of cold temperatures and viruses making the rounds.

“School-aged children are frequently navigating changing classroom environments due to their peers’ or teachers’ absences due to increased community transmission of colds, influenza, COVID-19, and other illnesses. This can add a layer of uncertainty for what each day might look like in preparing to arrive at school and pressures to adjust to changes in the classroom composition once they arrive,” explains Dr Samantha Vlcek, an RMIT academic in Inclusive Education and with research and teaching interests focussing the educational experiences and outcomes of all students.

“Children at all educational levels typically thrive on consistency, routine, and awareness of what the school day will entail, and limited consistency across winter months can create increased pressures that might lead to students’ burnout.” Dr Samantha Vlcek

“On top of this, making it through half a year of school is a great accomplishment, but students can still see a long way ahead before the next school break in September,” adds Dr Vlcek. “Combined with colder and shorter days, potential wet day programs where students are not able to play preferred activities at break times, these are all ingredients that increase opportunities for winter burnout.”

How has the pandemic changed our approach to winter sniffles?

Ironically, some of the positive changes schools and society have made post-COVID might indirectly influence children’s experiences at school, leading to winter burnout.

“We are still collecting more data on post-pandemic responses to a range of areas within education,” says Dr Vlcek.” Anecdotally, however, we notice that school leaders are encouraging of staff and students remaining home when unwell and maintaining a period of absence until the likelihood of transmitting an illness has gone.”

“This has a flow-on effect: school leaders spend increased hours locating and onboarding appropriate relief staff, teachers need to account for conceptual learning gaps or make up assessments due to student absences, and students themselves navigate the changing classroom environment when peers or teachers are absent or navigating missed learning opportunities upon their return from a period away from school.”

Schools must allow staff and students to protect themselves and others and take their health seriously with time off. Still, the resultant unpredictability and changeability can impact children’s well-being.

“Collectively, the well-being of students and school staff is impacted by increased absence while working towards the common good of limiting community transmission,” explains Dr Vlcek.

Flexibility the key to reducing winter burnout for students

As we approach the halfway point of Term 3, there are potentially months of this unusually cold winter still ahead across the nation.

While inconsistency in the classroom can be one of the stressors responsible for winter burnout, it can also be one of the solutions.

“Winter is an especially beneficial time for teachers to respond flexibly according to weather and cohort needs,” suggests Dr Vlcek. “For example, a dry morning after rainy days could present an opportunity for rescheduling outdoor activities that have been missed recently.”

“Another strategy might be including more revision time (compared with lessons introducing new concepts or scheduled assessment)s on days when the proportion of student absences is increased. These flexible responses can positively influence student and staff well-being, learning, and workloads.”

How can teachers avoid their winter burnout?

Dr Vlcek says that winter is an especially difficult time for teachers, given the range of complex changes in the classroom. Beyond student absences, changes in routine can lead to increased student disengagement and unexpected social responses. Teachers and school leaders should recognise that their well-being is just as important as that of their students.

“Strategies such as creating gentle afternoons, increasing games and opportunities for fun, or taking a well-being day to reset and recharge before getting to a state of burnout is just as important for teachers as it is for students,” adds Dr Vlcek.

“In my opinion, one of the greatest societal advances in recent years has been the increase in understanding the importance of well-being and seeking support to improve mental health. Teachers play a critical role in the development of young humans. Recognising signs of burnout and responding proactively is a sign of strength that should be encouraged across the teaching profession.” Dr Sam Vlcek

As the saying goes, she adds, we cannot take care of anyone else until we take care of ourselves—and this is especially true for teachers who are responsible for the well-being of their cohorts.

Related story: Special Report – Should we let students have mental health days