Teacher wellbeing resolutions for 2026

As the new year begins, it’s a fresh chance to imagine what your year ahead could look like. But as your role already asks so much of you, that shouldn’t mean adding more to your to-do list. Instead, it’s about finding small, meaningful ways to make your days feel a little lighter and your energy a little steadier.

We know teaching involves long days, competing demands, and emotional labour that often goes unnoticed. For these reasons and more, it’s easy for your wellbeing to take a backseat. But 2026 can be a year to change that, even in tiny, incremental ways.

The resolutions we’re exploring focus on achievable, human-centered habits that fit into real school days. Rather than adding pressure, they’re designed to support you: to help you feel more grounded in the classroom and more nourished outside of it. Small steps that build over time, so your workload and life can feel a little more sustainable throughout the year.

Why teacher resolutions are hard to sustain

Understandably, many resolutions don’t stick because they’re built for an ideal version of teaching that rarely exists. They expect extra time and energy when you’re already running on empty. 

And the research backs this up, figures show that: 

• 9 out of 10 Australian teachers are experiencing severe stress
• And nearly 70% say their workload is unmanageable. 

It’s clear the issue isn’t effort, it’s overload. And you’re not alone. 

The reality is that teaching is a profession where work easily spills into personal life. Your autonomy can be a strength, but in environments without clear limits, it can often lead to giving more than you can realistically sustain. Late-night planning, weekend marking, and a mind that’s still at school long after the bell rings are familiar experiences.

So instead of big, all-or-nothing goals, the most meaningful resolutions are often built around small, sustainable habits and clear, supportive boundaries. 

5 resolutions to set in 2026: teacher wellbeing edition 

These five resolutions focus on repeatable practices that fit the reality of today’s classrooms, and prioritise teacher wellbeing. And if these habits don’t happen every week, that’s okay—what matters is giving yourself grace and permission to return to them, for you, when you can. 

Leave on time once a week at least (boundary-setting)

For many teachers, bringing work home has long felt like the default. But more educators are beginning to experiment with clearer boundaries, such as choosing one day a week to leave on time, when the day allows.

Of course, there will always be times when staying late is unavoidable. But even committing to one regular, protected finish can help your workload feel more contained, and your time feel more your own.

As Melissa Evans, experienced teacher and Atomi’s School Success Team Lead, shares:

Being a teacher is not all of who you are, it is one part of you. When teaching starts to consume all of your time, energy, and identity, the other parts of you begin to disappear.

Sharing your working hours with colleagues, students, or school leaders can also help set a shared understanding around availability. Rather than rigid rules, this is about creating a boundary that leaves room for the parts of your life that exist outside of teaching, not just the workday itself.

Protect your lunch break twice a week (normalising rest)

In theory, lunch breaks are for rest. In reality, they’re often filled with meetings, duties, or catching up on work. Working through lunch can feel like the easiest way to stay on top of everything. And suddenly, it becomes the norm.

Where you can, try to protect your lunch break at least twice a week. Even a short pause away from your desk (maybe with your favourite snack) can help lighten the cognitive load of teaching and support your focus later in the day.

As Melissa says,

Remembering that you are a whole person first helps you give time, care, and commitment not only to your students, but to the other parts of your life that matter too. Holding that perspective has helped me stay grounded and sustain my love for education.

Say no to one non-essential thing per term (capacity management)

Saying no can be one of the hardest skills to practise in teaching. In a profession built on care and commitment, it’s natural to want to say yes, to want to help, and to push yourself to give your students the best possible experience.

Over time, though, that instinct can lead to overcommitment, leaving little room to recoup. Saying no to one non-essential thing each term is about protecting your capacity so you can keep showing up in ways that matter most.

It’s okay if this feels uncomfortable at first—that’s a very real and human response. When it does, it can help to reframe what you’re saying yes to instead: more headspace, more energy for your students, or more presence in the classroom. Often, those are the things that make the biggest difference. 

This is your permission to say no, so you can say yes to other priorities that benefit everyone. 

Create a Sunday evening ritual that doesn't involve school (mental separation) 

Sunday evenings have a way of slowly filling up with lesson planning, emails, and the quiet mental countdown to Monday. Creating a small ritual that has nothing to do with school can help draw a clearer line between work and rest.

As Melissa shares,

What made a real difference for me were two simple daily practices that helped me centre myself amidst the busyness. When I changed my mornings to sitting quietly at home, taking in the smells and the taste, doing a little breathwork while sipping my coffee, and setting my positive intentions for the day, everything shifted.

Your Sunday evening ritual can be anything that helps you mentally switch off, such as: 

• A walk or short stroll
• Creative hobby
• Long bath with a book
• Time spent moving your body
• A phone call with a friend 
• Putting your phone on Do Not Disturb

It doesn’t need to be elaborate or perfectly consistent. What matters is that it helps your mind switch off, creating space for rest and enjoyment before the week begins.

Check emails only at set times (digital boundaries)

Emails are an essential part of teaching, but without boundaries, they can rapidly spill into every spare moment. Constant notifications can make it harder to stay focused and often take up more time than expected, adding to the cognitive load of frequently switching between tasks and headspaces.

Consider these teacher wellbeing tips for your inbox:

• Instead of checking emails throughout the day and night, consider responding in set blocks of time—for example, once in the morning and once after school. 

• Making this visible in your email signature or out-of-office message can help manage expectations and ease the pressure you feel to reply instantly. 

Emails are part of teaching life, but they don’t need to fill every spare moment. A simple “out of office between these hours” message can do a lot of the boundary-setting for you. 

Progress over perfection

As 2026 begins, there’s an opportunity to rethink what resolutions can look like—not as something to “stick to” perfectly, but as supports you can return to when you need them. Teacher wellbeing is increasingly recognised as essential to long-term success, not separate from it.

Looking after yourself strengthens your teaching. When you feel supported, grounded, and well, you’re better able to bring clarity, creativity, and consistency into the classroom, for your students and for yourself.

As you step into the year ahead, focus on goals that feel nourishing and realistic, and that support the kind of teaching year you want to build. And be sure to be kind to yourself along the way.  For more ideas and inspiration, check out more work-life balance tips for teachers here.