It can be managed

There is something that kills faster than malaria which is called stress. A colleague of mine collapsed on the assembly ground, and he died immediately. Upon discovery, it was stress that killed him🤔 So pathetic! This is the seventh week of the term, and everybody is already feeling tired. The vibes from resumption are no longer visible because stress in teaching cannot be underrated. We have not been taken care of as expected, and the only thing we can do is to manage the stress of the job.

Is it really possible to avoid stress? As a teacher in a public secondary school here in Lagos State, I have come to realize that stress is almost a constant companion to every teacher. There's no way one can avoid it except by managing it. My school is a very big school, with a very high student population. I teach JSS 2 and JSS 3, and each of these classes has nine sections (A-I), each containing 100 students. That means a whole lot of shouting from morning till evening, lesson notes to prepare, scripts to mark, students to attend to, and I still have endless administrative and academic responsibilities that come with the job.

There are days I walk into the staff room already tired from the previous day’s activities, only to find out that I have five periods back-to-back. On those days, I wonder if it’s even possible to go through teaching without feeling stressed. The truth is, anything worth doing usually comes with its own share of pressure and challenges. So, if I decide to avoid anything that stresses me, I might as well avoid teaching altogether, and that’s not an option because this is my calling and passion.

Although in this profession, I’ve learned that the avoidance of stress entirely is not totally possible, managing it wisely is what can be achieved. Some of the teachers who have been teaching for 35 years were able and healthy, but upon retirement, they get sick due to the accumulated stress. They ended up not enjoying their labour, what a pity! With this experience, I have learned to prioritize my tasks, take short breaks when I can, share a good laugh with my colleagues, and most importantly, draw strength from the positive impact I’m making in the lives of my students. Each time a student improves or shows appreciation, it reminds me that all the effort is worth it but I have to take caution👌

So, while stress is inevitable in a school environment as large and busy as mine, it doesn’t have to overwhelm me. I try to maintain a positive mindset, drink a lot of water, stay organized, and totally depend on God’s grace daily for renewed strength. There's something I’ve realized and found that even in the midst of stress, joy and fulfillment can still be found if you know how to maneuver your way. Create that happiness yourself and live by it👌