Mental Health Awareness Week: supporting teachers’ wellbeing
05 May 2026
Nicola Heath, Psychology Subject Advisor
Many of your subject advisors at Cambridge OCR have been teachers in the classroom and know teaching can be a deeply rewarding career. But we also know it can be demanding at times, with competing priorities and the responsibility of supporting young people placing pressure on teachers’ mental health.
Mental Health Awareness Week (11–17 May 2026) focuses on the theme Take Action. For teachers, this does not mean adding yet another task to an already busy workload. It’s about recognising what supports your mental health and taking small, realistic steps that can make a difference now and in the longer term.
This blog brings together practical advice from trusted organisations, including the Mental Health Foundation, the NHS and Mind, alongside ideas from the Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 resources. It aims to support teachers to take action in ways that may fit around a busy day but still provide wellbeing support in the short and long term.
Why taking action matters
Mental health is shaped by many factors, including workload, relationships, physical health and sleep. While not all pressures within education are in your control, small actions can still help protect your wellbeing and reduce the risk of stress building up over time.
The NHS highlights the importance of everyday actions such as staying connected with others, being physically active, resting well and asking for help early when things feel unmanageable. The Mental Health Foundation also emphasises that regular, sustainable actions are more effective than trying to make big changes at once.
Taking action is not about striving for perfection. It is about noticing what is helping and giving yourself permission to prioritise it.
Small actions that can help during the school day
Short and simple actions can be particularly valuable when time is limited, and the easier they are to incorporate, the more sustainable they will be in the long term. The Mental Health Foundation’s Ten quick actions to boost your mental health resource, focuses on everyday habits that can fit around a busy working day. Here are a few of my standout habits:
Let in light and fresh air
Opening a window, where possible, can help improve concentration and lift your mood. Natural light and fresh air support alertness and can help you feel more connected to the world beyond the classroom.
Take a moment to breathe
Slow, deep breathing can help calm your nervous system and reduce immediate feelings of stress. Even one minute between lessons or before a meeting can help create a pause to reset your focus.
Move in small ways
Movement does not have to mean traditional exercise or long workouts. Stretching whilst seated in your chair, walking around your classroom between lessons or taking a short daily walk around the building can ease physical tension and support mental wellbeing, particularly after long periods of sitting.
Be kind to yourself
Teaching often comes with high expectations and it’s easy to focus on has to be done next. On difficult days, noticing your achievements, no matter how small, can help protect your mental health. These quick actions may not remove all sources of stress, but they can make things feel more manageable.
Taking action for longer-term wellbeing
Alongside short term strategies, longer term actions can help build resilience over time. The Mental Health Foundation’s Eight actions to improve mental health in the long term highlights a range of habits that can support sustained wellbeing. Below are a few that I feel are particularly valuable.
Prioritise sleep where you can
Sleep plays an important role in concentration, emotional regulation and coping with stress. While workloads and time pressures can make this challenging, small changes in sleep hygiene such as keeping a consistent bedtime, winding down before bed, limiting caffeine later in the day or reducing screen use in the evening can improve sleep quality over time.
Set and review boundaries
Clear boundaries with yourself and others will help to stay on top of competing and demanding priorities. This might involve being realistic about what can be achieved in a working day, limiting work at evenings or weekends where possible, or being clear about availability. Boundaries are not about being less committed, but about protecting energy to make sure you are working in a way that avoids additional stress or burnout.
Stay connected with others
We know that strong relationships are a protective factor for mental health. Making time to connect with colleagues, friends or family can reduce feelings of isolation and provide space to share experiences. Meaningful connection does not need to be time consuming or even in person, just take time to appreciate the connections you make each day.
Notice and understand your emotions
Taking even just a small amount of time to reflect on how you are feeling, and what may be contributing to this, can help you respond more effectively to stressful situations. Writing things down, even briefly, can be a helpful way to process emotions. Many people find journalling useful, and you can purchase some books with pre-set questions to help guide your focus. Alternatively, start with a blank notebook and see where it takes you.
Some example prompts could be to rate your day on a simple numerical scale, or list the most prominent emotion(s) from the day, then summarise what you think were the biggest contributors to this or why you think you experienced these emotions. You could end with a positive reframing by stating one thing you will do differently or focus on tomorrow. Journalling can be very rewarding, and doesn’t need to be a rigid structure. The most beneficial aspect though is to do this regularly.
Supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools
While individual actions matter, you could also support your staff and students at school with a variety of actions:
- Sharing evidence based wellbeing resources from the NHS, Mental Health Foundation or Mind.
- Encouraging open conversations and checking in with your team
- Promoting mental health and wellbeing actions that students can use
- Clearly signposting available support
- Marking Mental Health Awareness Week in school via assemblies, fundraising or activities such as Wear it Green Day.
Even small steps at a whole school level can contribute to a more supportive working environment.
If work feels overwhelming
Stress, anxiety and low mood can sometimes develop into more persistent difficulties. The NHS advises seeking professional support if feelings begin to interfere with day to day life, last for several weeks or if things you are trying are not helping.
Support options include:
- Talking to your GP
- Accessing NHS talking therapies
- Using specialist services such as Education Support, which provides confidential help for people working in education
Seeking support is a proactive step and an important form of taking action.
Taking action in a way that works for you
Mental Health Awareness Week is not about doing everything at once. It is about choosing actions that feel realistic and relevant to your circumstances. Whether that is pausing to breathe, setting a boundary, reaching out to someone you trust or seeking professional support, every action is important and useful.
Stay connected
If you have any questions about Cambridge OCR or our qualifications, you can email us at support@ocr.org.uk or call us on 01223 553998. You can also sign up to subject updates to keep up-to-date with the latest news, updates and resources.
If you are considering teaching any of our qualifications, use the our online form to let us know, so that we can help you with more information.
About the author
Nicola joined Cambridge OCR in 2022 as the Subject Advisor for Psychology. Before that she taught psychology for over 10 years and has had various other responsibilities in that time, including being Head of Year and Subject Leader for PSHE. Nicola has a personal interest in mental health and wellbeing and enjoys reading, baking and spending time outdoors to relax.
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