Anxiety Among Teachers: How Schools Can Promote Employee Wellness

Teachers are feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Here are some activities schools can adopt to support physical and mental health of teachers.

It's normal to get anxious sometimes. Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress. But feeling anxious or stressed most days is not normal, it is a sign of an anxiety disorder, which can severely impact your daily life. Risk factors associated anxiety disorders genetics, stress, trauma, drugs or alcohol, medical problems, certain medications, etc. Global prevalence of anxiety and depression is estimated to have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were widely reported among health workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Another profession that is deemed stressful is teaching. Studies on teachers' emotional experiences in response to daily classroom events have identified enjoyment, anxiety, and anger as the three most common emotions reported by teachers.

A 2020 study published in Journal of School Psychology noted that students' disruptive behavior during classroom events can provoke strong negative emotions in teachers and impact their occupational wellbeing. Citing a survey, the US CDC also described anxiety as a common emotion felt by teachers each day.

How schools can support physical and mental health of teachers

As suggested by the US CDC, here are some employee wellness activities schools can adopt to support physical and mental health of teachers.

• Establish an employee wellness program, which includes healthy eating and physical activity services, for school staff
• Introduce physical activity breaks during the school day, (students can be involved too). Regular physical activity is helpful in lowering stress and anxiety.
• Organize exercise challenges (for example, steps challenge, exercise minutes challenge, etc).
• Schools can have mindfulness meditation breaks for teachers and students during the school day. Or a 5-minute mindfulness conference calls for teachers and other school staff may help.
• Make stress management and mental health resources and information available to teachers.
• Recognize the contributions and achievements of teachers and other staff and celebrate their milestones.
• Encourage staff involvement in school employee wellness.

"Wellness is more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fostering the physical and mental health of school employees also helps to support students' health and academic success," the CDC said.

Additionally, the agency said, having a school employee wellness program can improve staff retention and productivity, decrease employee absenteeism and reduce employee health care costs.

Global prevalence of anxiety

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a massive increase (25 per cent) in the global prevalence of anxiety and depression in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unprecedented stress caused by the social isolation, loneliness, fear of infection, death for loved ones, financial worries were cited as stressors leading to anxiety and depression.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a massive increase (25 per cent) in the global prevalence of anxiety and depression in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unprecedented stress caused by the social isolation, loneliness, fear of infection, death for loved ones, financial worries were cited as stressors leading to anxiety and depression.

Online education became a new normal during COVID-19 pandemic. But it triggered increase in the prevalence of depression and anxiety in students and teachers. The increased screen time and the lack of face-to-face interaction affected the mental and physical health of both the students and teachers.