7 Mental Health Tips for Online English Teachers
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With most mental wellbeing advice catering to office-based, 9-to-5ers and conventional lifestyles, it can be easy to forget that this is important for online English teachers, too. Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels.
Online English teaching is a fast-growing profession in an increasingly virtual world. But despite the increasing lifestyle options made available by technology, it’s also worth considering how these new options affect our mental wellbeing. Personally, while freelance and virtual work suit me, I still need to take time to make sure I’m taking care of myself.
Even before 2020, the modern world was creating new anxieties. Many experts were referring to depression and loneliness as the world’s biggest growing epidemic. Okay, so clearly there were other global events that none of them knew about yet, but still, it’s true that our human minds are not designed for the modern expectations.
Some evolutionary and neuroscientists have concluded that our human brains and bodies are simply destined to be at odds with our new, technology-based lifestyles.
Not ideal when you work online, right?
With most mental wellbeing advice catering to office-based, 9-to-5ers and conventional lifestyles, it can be easy to forget that this is important for online English teachers, too.
Despite the many benefits - potentially warmer weather, flexible lifestyles, and the ability to get outdoors more - there are also elements of this lifestyle which could be damaging to mental health.
For example, online workers dealing with a time difference may neglect their sleep routine. You might work far away from your support network and, after a bad lesson, don’t have colleagues to lean on.
Our ancestors thrived in communities with active lifestyles, so in this post, I’m going to look into how to bring the long-standing necessities for human mental wellbeing back into the online classroom.
#1 - Find a support network
Whether you are in your native country and don’t quite relate to your office-working friends or are going it alone in a foreign country, we all deserve to be understood. It’s important to have people in your life to whom you can speak openly about your problems.
If you’re an introvert living abroad like me, it can be easy to neglect social life in favour of hours of introspection. Apparently, this isn’t totally healthy. Thankfully, this is where technology is at its best.
The obvious points aside (add Skype or Zoom to your device and schedule time to speak to friends), meeting like-minded humans can be a little trickier. Meet ups or free walking tours (if you’re abroad) can be a good way to meet others. However, I’ve personally had the most success with Facebook groups. Not only can you join groups specifically for online English teachers, but you can also look for general digital nomad groups in your area.
(Online English Teaching has a Facebook group for just that. Check it out here.)
For example, in Chiang Mai, I joined “Chiang Mai Nomad Girls” and “Chiang Mai Digital Nomads” and saw they had loads of meetups planned. I met one of my closest online English teacher friends at a Star Wars screening! Cinema trips are a great way to meet other introverts - less pressure on the small talk.
As a full-time nomad, I also use Instagram to arrange meet-ups and swap stories with other travellers.
#2 - Create a calming workspace
I’m not saying go full Marie Kondo on your makeshift desk, but it’s well-worth tidying the clutter from your desk/table (or shove it into your backpack, if you must).
It’s good to give it a quick tidy at the end of each shift so you can sit down the next day feeling fresh. Some people add calming objects to their workspaces such as scented candles or flowers. Personally, I go full minimalist with just a laptop and a coffee cup.
If you don’t have much space, it’s particularly important to keep this place clean and clear while you're working.
On that note, when possible, it’s worth checking that your work area is physically comfortable. Can you afford a more comfortable chair, raise your computer so it’s at eye level, or even get a standing desk so you aren’t sitting too much? Are you able to look away from the screen every twenty minutes to give your eyes a break?
#3 - Stick to a sleep routine
Time differences and sleep don’t mix so well. It’s really worth trying to set a regular bedtime and morning alarm and sticking to it.
If you struggle to sleep, there are various methods you can use to help. Try turning the blue light off on your devices in the evening. This shouldn’t affect using your screen if you have to work late. Try switching off social media and having a calming tea (such as chamomile tea). I also love my silk eye mask; it is required wearing after midnight.
Good sleep also means a good morning routine! Try and keep breakfast and coffee handy so you look forward to waking up. (Guilty - I do naturally assume all virtual workers drink coffee, no? But even I know to avoid caffeine after 3 pm.)
Open the blinds so you have exposure to sunlight and try to do one mindful activity within the first hour of waking up, such as journaling, yoga, or even just drinking a glass of water. I keep one by my bedside so I can hydrate as soon as I wake up.
#4 - Walk and exercise
Try to leave the house at least once daily. It can be so easy to stay indoors when you have no reason to go outdoors. It’s worth going for at least a walk around the neighbourhood each day.
You don’t have to join a gym, though that’s great, too. Alternatively, doing yoga at home or following exercise YouTube videos is a good place to start. In fact, I find doing after-work yoga is soothing after spending so much time at a desk.
On your days off, consider going hiking, biking, or swimming. Exercise = endorphins. Plus our ancestors were pretty active, so these brains we’ve inherited will thank us for the fresh air and direct sunlight.
#5 - Have a method to de-stress
This is particularly important for anyone who suffers from anxiety. Do you tend to ruminate on bad lessons for hours afterwards? Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with classes or worry you’re a bad teacher?
Perhaps you made a small mistake and are embarrassed, had inappropriate feedback from a student, or had a particularly difficult parent disturb the class to tell you you’re doing it wrong.
Check the policies of the company you work for so you understand their guidelines in regards to dealing with difficult students and teachers. Report inappropriate behaviour and understand that no amount of extra payment is worth feeling anxious before lessons.
In an office environment, you’d chat to your colleague when something goes wrong and probably end up feeling better or even laughing about it. This is one disadvantage of working alone. Having a support network - as mentioned earlier - in the way of a Facebook group to check in with or WhatsApp group with other online teachers in your area can help too.
Practising mindfulness, self-compassion, and gratitude are all good ways to take care of stress. Take note of when you’re ruminating and allow yourself to recognise it’s just a thought, and cannot harm you. Take time to remind yourself you’re doing your best and that you can’t be perfect every day.
Again, humans NEVER evolved to be perfect, so give yourself a break. Be kind to yourself and treat yourself like a best friend. For more information, apps such as Calm and Headspace have made mindfulness and meditation easy.
If you are feeling anxious or depressed, be sure to speak to friends or family. Keep in mind that your doctor or therapist is the best point of contact when you are struggling with your mental health.
#6 - Eat well
Ever had a day when all you ate for hours was the bag of chips at the side of your screen? At first it’s just a few handfuls in between lessons, but then you’re on your second bag and your body begins to feel like an actual potato.
Firstly, scheduling proper meal times is a good idea. Look for healthy cafes in your area if you’re in a country where eating out is quite affordable. Vegan cafes are often quite health-conscious.
But most importantly, try and switch your desk-side snacks to something healthy like fruit or nuts. As someone who grazes as often as a cow, changing the food I can easily reach for into something health-conscious has made a big difference. Make healthy eating easy and you’re more likely to do it.
It’s also worth practising mindful eating; eat slowly, consider each bite you take, and enjoy it. I tend to eat even when I’m not hungry, so it’s good for me to switch to water or green tea when I notice I’m just eating because I’m bored.
#7 - Take breaks
Take breaks from your screen, as well as your lessons.
Firstly, do make sure you schedule enough breaks - particularly recommended after any students/parents you find a little difficult.
Secondly, use that break time wisely. Take a moment to relax with a cup of tea, listen to relaxing music, stroll around the neighbourhood, or read a book.
Try and find a way to shift your mindset after lessons. Maybe this means changing into your comfy clothes, logging out of your work email, or having a bath.
Another friend I know takes a thirty-minute walk every morning before working from home as if it’s a small commute, which he says helps clear his head.
Making small changes can have huge effects
I hope you find these tips useful for looking after your mental wellbeing as an online English teacher. Keep in mind that experiencing bad days or negative feelings is completely normal. Mental wellbeing is never about feeling bad for our emotions, but rather finding ways to increase the positive moments.
When working alone, it can be really easy to fall into unhealthy routines and patterns with no one to call us out, so pay attention to what feels good and uplifts you. Consider if there are any changes you can make to your work environment and work routine that would make your days go more smoothly. Small changes can have huge effects, so it’s worth putting a couple of hours aside to consider how your everyday actions are affecting you.
Good luck!
Cassie Bailey
Cassie from Cassiethehag.com is a solo female travel blogger and online English teacher from the UK. Her writing has an emphasis on honest travel experiences and dealing with mental health issues on the road. Having spent the last two years living between Asia and Australia, Cass is currently based in Auckland, New Zealand.
