We want nothing more than to be accessible to our students, allowing them unlimited resources to reach you because relationships are critical, but to what end are we too connected? An issue I want to bring to light in spite of the advancement of technology and the events of the past year is the overuse of technology and the burnout effect.
Burnout
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. As the pressure continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a particular role in the first place (Smith, Segal, & Robinson, 2021). I use the burnout effect because sometimes all the work and endless internet loop creep upon you, and you don’t realize until you’ve ultimately had enough.
Technology
Technology integration is the use of technology resources — computers, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, digital cameras, social media platforms and networks, software applications, the Internet, etc. — in daily classroom practices, and in the management of a school (Pearson, 2007). When thinking about this past year and education it’s crazy to think how much changed. Yes, remote learning was put into effect but along with remote teaching is the amount of time we as educators and administrators spend behind a computer or phone. Between emailing, inputting grades, grading assignments, communicating with parents or colleagues, the constant ding we hear is relentless. Our natural reaction to instantly reply and grab our devices is troubling. As educators, we want to reply and respond to parents immediately, but parents should understand teaching comes first. I now have awareness, and that’s probably the best thing to have moving forward; keeping my ear to the ground is helpful, and face-to-face dialogue is key (Rimes, 2017).
Maintaining a work-life balance is crucial.
Tips
Set boundaries and block out your time! It is okay to let colleagues know when not to reach you. Establish an understanding with parents that teaching students come first and responding to them will come later in the day. Dedicate specific times throughout the day when you will reply and check emails.
Constantly remind yourself to disconnect once you leave the school building. Do not open work emails during personal time. Disable work emails notifications on your phone.
Put that funny little do not disturb function on your phone to use. It is a phenomenal tool! Many of our phones offer it automatically, and you can schedule it to repeat at the same time each day. Essentially, it stops all notifications, alerts, and calls from making any noise, vibration, or lighting up on the phone screen. You can establish exceptions to receive certain types of incoming calls. But this trip would benefit no one if you do not set aside specific times daily to disconnect.
Get plenty of sleep.
References
Person. (2007, November 6). What Is Successful Technology Integration? Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description.
Rimes, B. (2017, October 10). When is Technology for Efficiencies’ Sake Too Much. The Tech Savvy Educator. http://www.techsavvyed.net/archives/4177.
Smith, M., Segal, J., & Robinson, L. (2021, April 19). Burnout Prevention and Treatment. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm.