Feeling Burnt Out Before the Holidays? How to Decide Whether You Need Rest, a New Role, or Both

The final weeks of the academic year can feel relentless.

You may be trying to complete reports, manage end-of-term behaviour, prepare for transition days, organise handovers and keep pupils engaged while everyone’s energy is running low. For school support staff, there may also be deadlines, summer projects, budget pressures, recruitment tasks and preparations for September.

By July, even people who usually love their work can feel exhausted, irritable or emotionally drained.

So, if you have found yourself thinking, “I cannot do this anymore,” it does not automatically mean that you need to leave your job.

But it does not necessarily mean you should ignore those feelings either.

Sometimes, end-of-year exhaustion is simply a sign that you need a proper break. In other cases, the summer slowdown creates enough mental space to recognise that your role, workload or school environment may no longer be right for you.

The challenge is working out which one applies to you.

First, recognise that end-of-year exhaustion is normal

Working in education requires significant emotional, mental and physical energy.

Throughout the year, you are not only completing the practical responsibilities of your role.

You may also be supporting pupils through difficult situations, responding to parents, managing competing priorities, adapting to policy changes and helping colleagues when they are under pressure.

By the end of the summer term, your reserves may simply be depleted.

Normal end-of-year exhaustion might look like:

• Feeling more tired than usual

• Struggling to concentrate after work

• Having less patience with minor problems

• Counting down the days until the holidays

• Wanting fewer social commitments

• Feeling temporarily less enthusiastic about your role

• Needing more sleep and recovery time

These feelings do not necessarily mean you have chosen the wrong career or workplace. They may simply mean that you have reached the end of a demanding year.

A genuine break, reduced responsibilities and time away from school may help you regain your usual energy and perspective.

When tiredness may be telling you something deeper

There is a difference between being tired because the year has been demanding and feeling consistently unhappy, undervalued or unsupported in your role.

It may be worth looking more closely at your situation if your feelings have been present for much of the year rather than only during the final few weeks.

Ask yourself:

• Have I felt anxious about work for several months?

• Do I regularly dread Sunday evenings?

• Do I feel supported by my line manager or senior leadership team?

• Is my workload difficult because of a temporary busy period, or is it permanently unmanageable?

• Do I feel respected and valued?

• Can I raise concerns without worrying about the consequences?

• Does the school’s culture match my professional values?

• Am I developing in my role, or do I feel stuck?

• Is work affecting my sleep, relationships or health?

• When I imagine returning in September, do I feel tired or genuinely distressed?

One difficult term does not always mean you need to move. However, repeated patterns are worth paying attention to.

If the same problems continue regardless of the time of year, a holiday may provide relief without addressing the underlying cause.

Is it the role, the school or the profession?

When people feel burnt out, they sometimes assume they need to leave education entirely.

In reality, the problem may be more specific.

You may still enjoy teaching, supporting pupils or working within a school community, but feel that your current environment is no longer allowing you to do your best work.

Try separating the different parts of your experience.

You may need rest if:

You still care about your work, generally feel supported and can identify specific periods that have caused the current exhaustion.

You may also notice that your energy improves during weekends, half-terms or quieter periods.

You may need a different role if:

You enjoy the school but feel ready for new responsibilities, progression or a change of focus.

For example, you may be ready to move into middle leadership, step away from leadership responsibilities, change subject areas or explore a different type of support role.

You may need a different school if:

You still enjoy your profession, but the school’s culture, leadership style, workload expectations or approach to staff wellbeing no longer feel right for you.

A different school environment can create a completely different experience of the same job.

You may need both rest and a new role if:

You have been pushing through a difficult situation for a long time and no longer have the energy to make a clear decision.

In this case, the most helpful approach may be to rest first and then explore your options without placing pressure on yourself to make an immediate commitment.

Avoid making major decisions at your most exhausted

When you are depleted, every problem can feel permanent.

That does not mean your concerns are not valid. It simply means that exhaustion can make it harder to assess your situation calmly.

Where possible, give yourself some breathing space before making a final decision.

You might find it helpful to write down:

• What is currently making work difficult

• Which problems are temporary

• Which problems have been ongoing

• What you still enjoy about your role

• What you would want to change

• What a healthier working environment would look like

• What you would like your career to look like in one or two years

Try to be specific.

“I hate my job” may actually mean, “I am overwhelmed by an unrealistic workload”, “I do not feel supported by leadership” or “I am ready for progression but cannot see an opportunity here”.

Understanding the real issue will help you make a more informed decision.

What happens when you think about September?

One useful test is to imagine returning after a genuinely restful summer.

Picture yourself walking back into your current school in September, after several weeks away from emails, deadlines and daily pressures.

How does that thought make you feel?

A small amount of nervousness or reluctance is normal. Many people need time to adjust to returning to work.

However, if the thought creates a strong sense of dread, anxiety or hopelessness, that feeling may be worth exploring.

Now imagine starting in September in a different school or role.

Do you feel curious, relieved or energised?

That response does not automatically mean you should resign. But it may suggest that you are ready to understand what other opportunities are available.

You do not need to wait until you are certain

Many education professionals delay exploring new roles because they believe they must be completely sure they want to leave.

You do not need to make that decision before beginning a conversation.

Looking at vacancies, updating your CV or speaking confidentially with a recruitment specialist does not commit you to moving. It simply gives you information.

You may discover that your current position still offers the best fit. Alternatively, you may learn that there are schools with different cultures, workloads, leadership approaches or progression opportunities.

Exploring your options can help you make a decision based on evidence rather than frustration.

Questions to ask when considering a new school

A new role should not simply offer an escape from your current situation. It should move you towards a healthier and more fulfilling working life.

When assessing an opportunity, consider asking:

• How does the school support staff workload and wellbeing?

• What is the leadership and communication style?

• Why has the vacancy become available?

• What professional development is offered?

• How are new members of staff supported?

• What are the school’s expectations around planning, marking or working beyond contracted hours?

• How would colleagues describe the school culture?

• What does progression look like?

• How are concerns raised and addressed?

No workplace will be perfect. However, the answers can help you identify whether the environment is likely to suit your needs, values and career goals.

Give yourself permission to want something different

Leaving a role does not mean you have failed.

Neither does deciding to stay.

You may choose to remain because you still believe in the school, because circumstances are improving or because rest has helped you reconnect with the work.

You may choose to move because you need better support, greater flexibility, a shorter commute, stronger leadership, career progression or simply a fresh start.

Both decisions can be valid.

The important thing is to avoid dismissing your feelings or making choices based entirely on guilt.

Your wellbeing matters. So does your professional development.

How Aston Education can support you

At Aston Education, we understand that changing roles can feel especially difficult when you are already tired.

Our candidate support is designed to make the process clearer and less overwhelming. We work with teachers, leaders, teaching assistants and school support professionals seeking permanent and long-term opportunities across schools, academies and multi-academy trusts.

We can help you explore suitable roles, strengthen your CV and applications, prepare for interviews, understand the current education recruitment market and consider your next career step without pressure. Aston Education’s candidate service is built around personalised support and long-term career decisions, rather than simply filling vacancies.

Sometimes, the right next step is a proper rest.

Sometimes, it is a new role.

And sometimes, it is giving yourself both the time to recover and the permission to explore what could come next.

Feeling ready for a change, or simply unsure about September? Explore our live jobs board or contact Aston Education for a confidential conversation about your options.