Tenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

The wellbeing of teachers has emerged as a significant topic in recent years in the literature given the increasing levels of teacher attrition and mental health issues, particularly in Queensland, Australia. Efforts have been made to promote health and wellbeing among teachers. However, most of these have been ineffective in achieving their aims. This paper explores how a group of teachers from Queensland, Australia manage stress, and their understandings of and actions towards fitness, health and wellbeing. In-depth interviews were used to collect data among nine in-service high school teachers from different disciplines. This paper focuses on the data organised under the core categories of health, fitness and stress. This study provides important insights into the experiences of teachers in balancing their work and family commitments and their fitness practices. Results show that teachers experience a mix of emotions at particular times during the teaching period. The findings also suggest that even though they met the Australian recommendations for cardiovascular exercise for adults, they still felt they were not exercising enough. The results advise that it is necessary to do more than just manage stress and burnout. Instead, it is essential to foster an approach that promotes happiness and, particularly, that enables more time for teachers to spend according to their preferences. The importance of allowing teachers to have more spare time is emphasised as key to the improvement of their wellbeing.