Why Teachers Can’t Self-Care Their Way Out of Burnout

Few words are spoken as often, but so consistently misunderstood, as burnout.

We fear it. We try to hold it at bay. We generally know when we’re feeling it. But do we really know what it is?

According to 2022 research from Gallup, 44% of teachers report “always” or “very often” feeling burned out at work. That’s deeply worrisome for those individuals—and for the teaching profession as a whole. If we’re going to do something about it, we need to understand it first.

First and foremost, it’s a real thing. It’s defined, studied, and diagnosable. Here are the clinical traits of burnout:

1. Emotional Exhaustion
   Feeling drained, depleted, and exhausted.
   Feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope with work demands.

2. Depersonalization
   Feeling detached from one's work or clients.
   Experiencing cynicism, negativity, and indifference toward one’s job.

3. Reduced Professional Efficacy
   Feeling incompetent, ineffective, and lacking in accomplishment.
   Feeling like one is not making a difference or achieving goals.

Notice that burnout isn’t defined as “just being tired” or “sad.” Or worse: “just needing a break.” Instead, these traits describe deep, sometimes overwhelming experiences rooted in both the personal and professional expression of self.

In everyday conversation, we’re prone to viewing burnout as the result of something an individual is doing wrong, not enough of, or too much of. And because we frame it as an individual problem, we prescribe individual responses: You should get more sleep, eat more kale, and take a day off.

At Vital, we’re certainly in favor of sleep, kale, and days off. These are important examples of the personal responsibility required to maintain our energy and spirit—the “stop scrolling and  go to bed” part of the equation in reducing burnout.

But burnout isn’t an individual problem seeking individual solutions. When you’ve been given your 10th decision in a row that impacts you but no one asks your thoughts, you don’t need yoga—you need a voice in decision making.

When you’ve sat through a year of “sit and get” meetings that waste your time, you don’t need to go for a walk—you need redesigned meetings that fit your needs.

The systems around us can create burnout at scale. They can also be the key to reducing it at scale. That’s what’s so hopeful about the work we do with schools: improvements at the organizational level can have transformative effects for entire communities. To attempt such a communal improvement at the individual level would require a lot of trust falls and high ropes courses!

Burnout may feel deeply personal, but it is rarely just personal. It is shaped by the structures, cultures, and decisions that surround us every day. That’s why real solutions won’t come from another self-help list, but from rethinking how our schools function as workplaces. 

When leaders commit to redesigning systems with care, agency, and efficiency in mind, educators don’t just avoid burnout—they thrive. And when educators thrive, so do students, schools, and communities.

Burnout in education is real, measurable, and solvable. By addressing teacher burnout at the systems level, schools can improve retention, strengthen teacher well-being, and build healthier workplaces for students and staff alike.

If you’re ready to think differently about retention, start by naming what’s real in your community. Gather the voices in the room, listen deeply, and act on what you hear.