17 May 2026 · 4 min read · By Harriet
Most teachers know long before they admit it. The signs are quiet at first. Then they're not. Here are five I see again and again in the teachers who finally leave.
1. The dread arrives earlier each week
It used to start on Sunday evening. Now it starts Sunday lunchtime. Soon it'll be Saturday. This isn't dramatic — it's a measurable shift, and it almost always gets worse, not better.
2. Your body is talking before your brain catches up
Migraines. Eczema. Chest infections that keep coming back. The Sunday tummy. Teachers' bodies often know months before the conscious mind admits anything is wrong.
3. You've stopped recommending the job
When a young person tells you they want to teach, your stomach sinks. You used to be proud. Now you're trying to put them off without sounding bitter.
4. You're Googling 'how to leave teaching' at 11pm
If you've typed it once, you've typed it ten times. You've read this far. You already know.
5. Someone you know left and seems happier
And it's been months, and they haven't gone back. That's the proof. The 'other side' is real and other teachers are already living in it.
What to do if this is you
Don't panic-quit. The teachers who exit cleanly are the ones who plan. I cover exactly how to plan and execute that exit — without throwing your finances into chaos — inside The Ultimate Teacher Exit Plan. Find out more here: /the-course
Want the full step-by-step? See The Ultimate Teacher Exit Plan — the complete course for teachers leaving the classroom.
