276. The Real Reason Teachers Are Exhausted in August

Back-to-school exhaustion isn't just about long hours or a heavy workload! In this episode, we explore the surprising reason behind back-to-school fatigue and explain how a lack of automaticity creates extra mental strain. We also share practical systems that help you build external structure, reduce decision fatigue, and free up more of your energy to focus on connecting with your students during those critical first weeks of school.

Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/back-to-school-teacher-exhaustion/

Resources:

• Preorder our book Structure and Spark (and get bonuses!)
• The Smallest of Joys by Diane Shiffer
• When Gavin Met Stacey by James Corden and Ruth Jones
• Travel tissues
• Mildliners
• Tell Try Tally Talk Slides
• Procedures & Routines Planning Guide and Checklist
• Join The Teacher Approved Club
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow
• Shop our teacher-approved resources
• Join our Teacher Approved Facebook group
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!
• Leave a comment or rating on Spotify

Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 77. 3 Reasons Why a First Day of School Script Will Save Your Sanity
• Episode 144. How to Plug-And-Play Your First Day of School Plans
• Episode 215. Here’s EXACTLY What to Do in the First 20 Minutes on the First Day of School
• Episode 143. The Easiest Back to School Tip
• Episode 270. The Smart Way to Tackle Your Back to School To-Do List
• Episode 154. 5 Steps for Classroom Procedure Success

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the Teacher Approved Club, where members get seasonal morning work pages for grades K–5 this month to add fall and holiday fun without throwing off their routines: https://secondstorywindow.net/club