In this episode of Special Education for Beginners, we’re continuing our focus on teacher burnout—and today’s topic might be the most practical yet.

As special educators, we often pour from an empty cup. We overcommit, stay late, skip lunch, and carry the emotional weight of the work home with us. But burnout doesn’t just happen because of how much we’re doing—it happens when we don’t have boundaries in place to protect our time, energy, and mental health.

In this episode, I’m sharing 5 realistic boundaries you can start using right now to prevent burnout and bring more balance back into your school year. 

🔑 Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Limiting communication outside of work hours (and what to say in an auto-responder)
• How to protect your planning time so it doesn’t disappear every day
• My simple, non-negotiable end-of-day routine that brings mental closure
• Why working with your energy—not just your time—can change everything
• How to say “no” or “not yet” without feeling like you’re letting people down

💌 FREE RESOURCE
If you’re on my email list, I’ve created a one-page visual guide for you with all 5 boundaries plus quick, actionable tips to help you protect your time and your well-being. 

Not on the list yet? Head over to spedprepacademy.com/podcast  and join for access to weekly freebies and support.

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