Sir You Look Tired - The Unofficial CPD for Exhausted Teachers

Welcome back to another episode of "Sir, You Look Tired"! Martin and Dan dive into the wild world of teaching, sharing honest stories about classroom chaos, teacher burnout, and the moments that make it all worthwhile. From hilarious nativity mishaps to the realities of school budgets, behavior management, and the joy of seeing kids learn, this episode is packed with relatable tales and practical wisdom for teachers everywhere.

Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting out, you’ll find plenty to laugh about—and maybe a few reminders of why you started teaching in the first place. Don’t forget to leave us a comment, rate us five stars, and send in your own unforgettable staff room stories!

Timestamps & chapters below 👇

00:00 Introduction

00:18 Highlighting the Positives of Teaching

03:54 Favourite Subjects to Teach

06:06 Creative Teaching Methods

14:58 Challenges and Behavior Management

21:13 Behaviour Management Strategies

23:24 Printing in Red: Budget Woes

24:38 Inappropriate Searches and Filters

29:45 The Joys and Challenges of Teaching

31:09 Unexpected Classroom Moments

35:10 The Reality of Teaching Adverts

38:27 Student Teacher Experiences

42:22 Concluding Thoughts

Welcome back to "Sir, You Look Tired"! In this episode, Martin and Dan dive deep into the realities of teaching—tackling negative self-talk, burnout, and the importance of setting boundaries. They share honest stories from the classroom, from early career anxieties and staff room politics to the everyday pressures that come with the job.

Whether you’re a new teacher struggling with comparison, a leader juggling impossible expectations, or just someone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by school life, this episode is packed with practical advice, relatable moments, and plenty of laughs. Discover tips for managing emails, handling staff WhatsApp drama, and why it’s okay to say “I don’t know.” Plus, hear about the power of positive reflection, journaling, and finding the right support network.

Don’t forget to leave a comment, rate us five stars, and share your own stories from the classroom!

Timestamps & chapters below 👇

00:00 - Welcome Back & Negative Self-Talk in Teaching

00:45 - Teacher Burnout: Stats & Realities

02:00 - Comparing Yourself & Early Career Pressures

04:30 - Leadership Roles & Feeling “Not Good Enough”

07:00 - Classroom Perfectionism & Daily Stress

09:00 - Setting Boundaries: Emails, WhatsApp & Work-Life Balance

12:00 - Headteachers, Expectations & Saying No

15:00 - Staff Room Politics & Protecting Your Energy

18:00 - Positive Reflection, Journaling & Mental Health

21:00 - Assembly Nightmares, Dismissal Drama & Teacher Fears

25:00 - Change, Habits & Coping with Overwhelm

28:00 - Social Media, Comparison & Finding Support

30:00 - Final Thoughts: Be Kind to Yourself & Make the Change

32:00 - Outro & How to Reach Us

Welcome back to another episode of "Sir, You Look Tired"! Martin and Dan get real about the wild world of teaching, sharing honest stories from the trenches - especially those early years as ECTs. From toxic school cultures and impossible workloads to the importance of setting boundaries, this episode is packed with practical advice, hard-won lessons, and plenty of laughs for teachers everywhere.

Whether you’re a new teacher navigating your first leadership role, or a seasoned pro with your own staff room horror stories, this one’s for you. We cover everything from glue stick shortages and folder drama to the power of saying no, the value of unions, and why every teacher needs to protect their wellbeing. Don’t forget to leave a comment, rate us five stars, and share your own tales from the classroom!

Timestamps & chapters below 👇

00:00 - Welcome Back & New School Year Vibes

00:27 - ECTs, Assistant Heads & Toxic School Cultures

02:41 - Early Career Struggles: Saying Yes & Being Overworked

06:29 - Leadership Roles, Delegation & Staff Room Stories

09:52 - Folder Drama, Mentors & Surviving Inspections

23:49 - Power Trips, Staff Turnover & School Politics

27:09 - Boundaries, Burnout & Learning to Say No

32:57 - Advice for New Teachers: Red Flags & Self-Protection

35:46 - Final Thoughts: Unions, Support & Listener Shoutouts

36:59 - Outro & How to Reach Us

Welcome back to another episode of "Sir, You Look Tired"! Martin and Dan dive into the chaos of the new school year, sharing real talk about teacher stress, workload management, and the art of setting boundaries. From the great glue stick debate to meal prep hacks, delegation tips, and the infamous "do, delegate, delete, delay" mantra, this episode is packed with practical advice and plenty of laughs for teachers everywhere.

Whether you’re feeling the burnout already or just need a reminder to put yourself first, this episode is for you. Don’t forget to drop us a comment, rate us five stars, and share your own staff room stories!

Timestamps & chapters below 👇

00:00 - Welcome Back & New School Year Vibes

00:27 - Teacher Stress: Stats & Real Talk

01:41 - Workload Management: Boundaries & Burnout

06:29 - Meal Prep, Food Hacks & Surviving the Staff Room

09:52 - Shrinkflation, Snacks & The Great Glue Stick Debate

23:49 - Delegation, Teamwork & Teacher Training Gaps

27:09 - Classroom Chaos: Cupboards, Shared Drives & Offsted Myths

32:57 - Planning, Prioritizing & Saying No

35:46 - Final Thoughts: Do, Delegate, Delete, Delay

36:59 - Outro & Listener Shoutouts

The first week back should feel like a fresh start - but for most teachers, it’s where the burnout begins. Research shows 67% of teachers say their mental health declines significantly within the first seven days of term.

In this episode, Martin and Dan break down why the first week hits so hard: the new class that feels like 30 strangers, the pointless environment walks, the obsession with curly borders, the clipboard-brigade of observations, and the dreaded “wellbeing” badminton tournament at half four on a Friday.

It’s honest, raw, and a little bit ridiculous - but it’s also full of the real talk teachers need to hear. Because if you don’t put systems in place early, you risk being completely drained before October half-term even arrives.

Every teacher knows the Sunday night fear. But that first week back after summer? It’s like Sunday night fear… but worse.

In this episode, Martin and Dan unpack why back-to-school anxiety hits so hard - from worrying you’ve forgotten how to teach, to the chaos of brand-new classes, to the pressure of “being ready” when you’re anything but.

They share honest stories from the classroom, practical tips to ease the nerves, and why preparation doesn’t mean overworking yourself. If you’re dreading September, this one’s for you.

September is the real New Year for teachers.

The fresh stationery, the big plans, the “this term I’ll finally…” promises.

But here’s the problem: 83% of teachers drop their health goals by week three.

In this episode of Sir, You Look Tired, Martin and Dan dive into why habits collapse so quickly, the chaotic reality of teacher life (hello messy desktops and copy-of-copy Canva files 😂), and the simple systems that actually stick.

From meal prep hacks to the infamous “balloon” stress analogy, we’ll show you how to make September resolutions last longer than the first staff meeting biscuits.

Teachers give enough during term time - so why are so many still handing over ten hours a week of their summer for free?

In this episode, we dig into the hidden cost of “getting ahead” over the holidays, from laminating marathons to cupboard clear-outs that don’t last two weeks. We share our own wake-up calls - including the summers we finally stopped working - and how putting ourselves first made us better teachers, healthier humans, and actually happier to return in September.

If you’ve ever found yourself in school on a blazing hot August afternoon wondering why am I here?… this one’s for you.

In this episode, we dive into the guilt, burnout, and people-pleasing that haunts teachers all summer long. From laminating on holiday to buying IKEA baskets in July, we unpack why switching off feels so hard – and how school culture often rewards martyrdom over rest.

We talk about the pressure to prep, the fear of judgement from colleagues, and the myth that working in summer somehow buys you time back in the autumn (spoiler: it doesn’t). Whether you’re watching ECTs vlog their classrooms or battling a cupboard full of CDs from 2005, this episode is your reminder that you don’t have to earn your rest.

Teaching has never been harder — and if you’re stuck in the burnout loop, this episode is for you.

We tackle 3 of the biggest questions we get from teachers every week:

 ✅ Can I get fitter and lose weight without tracking everything?
 ✅ How do I break the all-or-nothing cycle with food and training?
 ✅ Is it even possible to change my routine when I’ve only got 20 minutes a day?

Whether you’re in the middle of a school term or trying to reset over the holidays, this is your no-fluff guide to:

 – Building better habits without tracking every bite
 – Escaping perfectionism and making real progress
 – Setting boundaries that actually give you your life back
– Creating change that lasts (even when your workload’s a joke)