Are you a teacher or married to one? Has your marriage been struggling as of late? Do you think your job may be affecting your personal life a little too much? In other words, is teaching affecting your marriage? Then keep on reading because this article is just for you!
When you work as a teacher, you are trusted with the hardest tasks of all: your job consists of molding, shaping and sharpening the minds of future generations. Teaching is a very demanding job, both mentally and physically. The long hours of work paired with the stress, the patience required by your students… Anyone would go crazy having to deal with one or even worse, multiple classrooms, remembering all the names and adjusting your teaching to fit each and every student.
Plus, teaching isn’t exactly the kind of job you can simply leave at the office when it’s time to go home: you have papers to correct, exams to grade, grades to file, and so on and so forth. Basically, you’re married to your job and it is no stroll in the park!
Teachers are often subjects to the burnout effect because they are simply drained of energy during and after work hours. When you are exposed to stress for long periods of time, it can affect your mental health so badly that you’ll find yourself struggling to even get out of bed, let alone put in the work that every marriage needs.
This can cause teachers to neglect their personal life and become more and more isolated, spending all their free time working in their office. Of course locking yourself away isn’t the solution, it is only one more problem that will affect your relationship. Your partner may feel left out or even think you are no longer interested in keeping your marriage standing. This makes marriage to a teacher somewhat difficult. You know your partner is fully committed to their job; you have no choice but to make sacrifices in order to keep your marriage or relationship afloat. However, it won’t matter what sacrifices you make if your significant other isn’t as committed to protecting your marriage as you are.
As a teacher, there are however a few things you can do to protect your personal life and your marriage.
Learn to communicate
Communication is important in every relationship, and in your case even more so. By communicating with your partner, you are building a trust-based relationship. Your partner won’t feel left out. On the contrary, they will know how much you value your marriage and want it to work. Communication will also help take the load off you: you need to express your feelings instead of bottling them up.
Time management
Even as a teacher, don’t forget you are allowed and entitled to have free time. To ensure you are in your best shape, you need to rest and recharge your batteries. Never let your professional life take a toll on your personal life. Instead, make sure you and your partner have some alone time, or better yet, plan some romantic getaways so you can bond. This gesture will be greatly appreciated by your partner.
You should also learn how to control and evacuate your stress so it doesn’t become a handicap. Stress can be devastating and has in fact been linked to numerous health problems. Try engaging in physical activities with your significant other, maybe practice sports that will help you release your stress.
Seek professional help
Last but not least, if you find yourself unable to manage both your career and marriage, perhaps it is time to consider seeking professional help. A marriage counselor or a therapist will help you tackle your issues. BetterHelp may be right for you if you’re looking for couples therapy or simply to improve the quality of your life.
You may not have considered this option before, but you should know that there is no shame in seeking help. On the contrary, your marriage will greatly benefit from the insight that a professional can provide. They might also help you figure out other problems, if there are any. You will learn to communicate and work better as a couple, and this will ultimately help keep your marriage afloat and happy.
