How much space is teaching taking up in your life?

You’ve left school. Your head hasn’t.

This short check-in looks at how often work follows you home. There are no right answers. Choose what feels closest to where you are at the moment.

I consent — start the check-in

1 of 9

You’re home. Where is your head?

Mostly at home with me

Thinking about a couple of things I need to do tomorrow

Going back over the day and finding things I could have done better.

Still at school, apparently.

2 of 9

Something went badly today. What happens?

I have a moan and move on.

I think about what I could do differently next time.

I pick it apart for far longer than is helpful.

I start wondering whether I’m actually any good at my job.

3 of 9

Another teacher seems calm and organised. Your first thought is:

Good for them.

I wish I felt a bit more on top of things.

Everyone else seems to be coping better than me.

Why does everything seem to get to me so much?

Skip

4 of 9

The results are not what you hoped for. What gets to you most?

Working out what needs to change.

Feeling disappointed for the pupils.

Knowing I might have to explain them to SLT.

Feeling as though the results prove something about me.

5 of 9

You decide you’re not working tonight. What actually happens?

I don’t work.

I feel a bit guilty, then get on with my evening.

The laptop stays closed, but the work carries on in my head.

I either give in and do it or spend the evening feeling bad because I haven’t.

6 of 9

SLT adds one more thing to the list. What do you do?

Ask what needs to be prioritised.

Feel irritated, but work out what is realistic.

Say yes, then wonder how the hell I’m going to fit it in.

Say yes because saying no might make it look as though I’m not coping.

7 of 9

How long do you want to keep living with work taking up this much room?

It isn’t taking up too much room right now.

A few things need to change.

I keep calling it a busy week, but every week seems to be a busy week.

I’m tired of work being there even when I’m not.

8 of 9

What did you notice?

You probably didn’t need a check-in to tell you that work has been taking up too much room.

Some of that belongs to the job. Workload, results, pressure from SLT and not enough time can make teaching genuinely difficult.

But when the job asks too much, it is easy to start questioning yourself instead.

You work harder. Compare yourself with people who seem to be coping. Take the day home in your head.

That doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you. It may simply be worth noticing what work is taking from you.

Work is allowed to be unfinished. You are allowed to be finished for the day.

This check-in offers reflection rather than a diagnosis or mental health assessment.

9 of 9

This check-in is for reflection, not diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. MailerLite records your responses, which I can view in the survey report. By selecting “I consent — start the check-in”, you explicitly consent to Demi Shakespeare Therapy collecting and reviewing your responses as explained in the Privacy Policy. Adding your email is optional.

Want something useful in your inbox?

I send occasional blogs and resources for teachers about work taking up too much room, feeling good enough and switching off. No daily emails or generic productivity tips. You can unsubscribe at any time