How to Prevent Teacher Burnout with Dr Richard Duggins

Teaching is regularly cited as one of the top 3 most stressful professions in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive and burnout is very common. This is one of the reasons Dr Richard Duggins new book, Burnout-Free Working, looked so appealing to me. Richard is referred to as ‘the doctors’ doctor’ because, as a consultant psychotherapist in the NHS, he is the person surgeons, doctors and GPs go to see for help when they are struggling with stress and burnout. 

When I read his book, I found myself nodding along frantically and making so many notes because it resonated so much with me and my work supporting schools with staff wellbeing. Part way through reading his book, I reached out to Richard because I wanted him to be one of our Teachappy Vlog experts and I’m so pleased he agreed to be interviewed. I would highly recommend Burnout-Free Working for teachers, especially school leaders, and I really hope you enjoy listening to Richard’s interview and his sage advice.  

What is burnout and why is teaching a high-risk profession?

Burnout is a familiar term within the education sector. In fact, according to a survey by Education support, 8 out of 10 teachers have experience work-related stress with 4 out of 10 considering leaving the profession due to pressure on their mental health.  

But what makes the teaching profession a high-risk area for burnout, and would you be able to spot the early signs? Dr Duggins explains more in this clip.

What is resilience and what are the myths around it?

Resilience training within schools – for staff and pupils - is on the rise. But debates around what the term resilience means and whether it can be taught are beginning to surface. Dr Duggins believes our understanding of resilience is fundamentally flawed and that any lack of resilience in teaching is a problem with the structures in which we work, rather than a lack of skill on the part of the individual. Here he explains more. 

Why are early interventions important to prevent burnout?

Having spent 20 years supporting clinicians in the NHS with their mental health, Dr Duggins noticed a recurring pattern. Most of his patients did not notice the early signs of stress and simply pushed through until one small thing sent them ‘over the cliff’. Here he explores how to ‘nip it in the bud’ before reaching burnout and why early intervention is the most effective treatment.

What strategies work to help prevent burnout?

In this clip Dr Duggins shares his five tried and tested strategies to help prevent burnout.

What are the four curveballs of life and how do we navigate them?

In Dr Duggins’ book, he explores four of ‘Life’s curveballs’ which are moments of pressure people experience in their lives that are high-risk times for burnout.  In this clip, he explains what these are and the steps we can take to navigate them to avoid reaching burnout.  

How Do We Change the System?

As teachers it can be easy to feel like nothing can be done to change a system that takes its toll on us mentally and physically. Yet, a sense of autonomy is a key factor in our happiness and wellbeing. In this clip we discuss with Dr Duggins the things we can do as individuals to influence the education system, as well as the things our senior leaders must do to ensure the wellbeing of their staff.  

How Do We Grow Through Adversity?

A reassuring message in Dr Duggins’ book is how quickly people can recover from burnout and, with the right support, how much they feel they have grown through a difficult experience. Dr Duggins tells us the three things that contribute to growth through adversity.

Enjoy this vlog? Read more in Dr Duggins' new book Burnout-Free Working.

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