Self-care for supply teachers means looking after yourself between placements. But that’s not all. You need practical routines that actually fit the unpredictable nature of supply work. Why? Because generic advice doesn’t account for last-minute bookings and constant school changes.
Today, you’ll learn why burnout hits supply teachers differently, how to build flexible self-care routines, and morning habits that protect your well-being. These strategies are important because without them, you’ll struggle with stress and exhaustion far more than permanent teachers.
Here’s what happens without self-care: you get exhausted, start dreading bookings, and eventually quit supply work altogether. It’s a common story. That’s why finding agencies like OTJR Online that genuinely support teacher wellbeing is so important. Without that backing, building a sustainable supply career becomes nearly impossible for teachers.
Read on to get the full story about sustainable self-care routines designed for supply work.
Why Do Supply Teachers Face Burnout More Often?
Supply teachers face higher burnout rates because they lack the stability and support that permanent staff enjoy. In fact, Ofsted’s research shows that teaching staff already experience the highest work-related stress in Britain, and supply teaching only intensifies that pressure.
The ongoing change and isolation, in turn, create mental health challenges that permanent staff rarely encounter.
If you’ve felt this, you’re not alone. Here’s why it happens.
- No consistent schedule: Without a routine, your sleep and eating patterns become irregular. Your body never settles into a rhythm when you’re teaching in Barking on Monday, Bromley on Wednesday, and Camden on Friday. This inconsistency affects your energy levels and how well you handle stress each week.
- Different behaviour management in each school: Learning new systems constantly drains your mental energy faster than teaching familiar pupils. That’s because every time you walk into a new school, you’re picking up unspoken rules and handling challenging behaviour without the training permanent teachers have. In the end, each school feels like starting fresh.
- Limited staff room connection: You don’t get the same chance to bond with coworkers between placements. When everyone else has shared stories and inside jokes, it’s easy to feel like an outsider, and that lack of connection can make the tough days hit even harder.
Now that you know why supply teaching drains you faster, let’s talk about what you can do about it.
Building a Self-Care Routine Around Your Supply Schedule
Supply work doesn’t follow normal patterns, but that doesn’t mean self-care is impossible. So how do you build routine when nothing stays the same? The trick is creating flexibility within your habits rather than rigid schedules that break the moment your bookings change.
Let’s break down four approaches that bend without breaking.
Anchor Your Week with Fixed Activities
With weekly gym or evening classes, you make a structure that doesn’t depend on bookings. Drawing from our experience, supply teachers across London feel more grounded when they keep these weekly plans. This predictable element gives you something reliable when everything else shifts.
Create End-of-Day Rituals
Spending fifteen minutes after school doing something marks the end of your workday. And that’s where things get interesting: supply teachers need this time to shake off stress from each school. For example, simple things like changing clothes or walking help even on tough days.
Plan Recovery Days Between Placements
Between placements, use your free days for actual rest rather than constant admin tasks (believe us, trying to be productive every single day leads straight to exhaustion). After all, one proper rest day can prevent multiple burnout days later. In this sense, think of recovery as essential maintenance, not laziness.
Track Your Energy Levels Weekly
You’ll spot trends in what exhausts you when you track how different schools affect your energy. Maybe Year 10 classes always leave you drained, or particular boroughs consistently wear you out. You then have solid reasons to decline those bookings instead of pushing through and burning out.
The main thing is, our self-care routine needs flexibility built in, not rigidity. These broader habits work better when your mornings are sorted.
Morning Routine Habits for Teacher Wellbeing
You wake up to a 7 am call asking if you can cover a Year 9 class in Hackney. When this happens, most supply teachers skip breakfast and self-care entirely. Here’s how to break that pattern.
- Wake 15 minutes earlier than your earliest possible call time:
This buffer helps psychologically because you’re never starting the day already rushed and stressed. Even if the phone rings at 7 am, you’ve had time to wake up properly. Your brain functions better when it’s not jolted straight into decision-making mode.
- Drink water and eat something before checking your phone:
Our consultants have worked with more than a hundred supply teachers, and this one habit reduces morning anxiety significantly. It works because stable blood sugar levels let you approach potential bookings more calmly. Put simply, your body needs fuel before dealing with work decisions.
- Pack your bag the night before with emergency supplies:
Stock your bag with markers, backup lesson ideas, and snacks before bed. Those simple supplies, especially board pens, have saved more lessons than you’d imagine, and preparing them ahead removes a morning decision entirely.
- Choose one five-minute grounding activity:
A few mindful minutes of stretching, deep breathing, or journaling before teaching helps settle your nervous system and sets a balanced tone for the day. Don’t worry, it doesn’t require hours; just five minutes of quiet can be transformative.
- Leave 10 minutes earlier than needed for travel:
Surprisingly, a calm arrival can redefine your entire classroom presence. Since students are quick to absorb their teacher’s energy, an extra ten minutes of calm becomes an investment in how the day unfolds.
Yes, you can’t control which schools call, but you can control how you start each day.
Ready to Build Self-Care Habits That Actually Work?
This article covered why supply teachers burn out faster, how to build flexible routines, and morning habits that protect your wellbeing. These strategies are what keep you in the profession long-term, not optional extras you can skip.
Since 2006, we’ve helped supply teachers across London find placements that respect boundaries and support wellbeing. When you work with agencies that understand teacher mental health, you get fewer toxic schools and more control over your schedule.
Start building these self-care habits today. Your well-being directly affects how long you can sustain supply teaching, so protecting it isn’t optional.
