Motivation: the value of investing in your own teaching process?

Teacher attrition is rife, with shortages of teachers being reported worldwide (Viac & Fraser, 2020) as teacher responsibilities increase, and motivation (or lack of it) is a key factor in whether teachers will stay the course or not. Especially in the era of Zoom meetings, which seem to have seeped across the boundaries of our professional and private lives in ways which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, it is easy to overwork and to run a serious risk of burnout. Teachers are always busy, working for several schools, juggling a variety of classes, needs, materials, approaches . . . oh yes, and life as well! It’s easy as a result – in some cases, when we are tired – to go through the motions. We’ve all been there, I’m sure. Demotivation and stress may lead to burnout, in fact, so just think how much better your life quality is when you really enter into the flow of a lesson, feeling the process happening and seeing your students invested in the activities you are providing for them. What, however, does motivation mean and how can we increase it in our own teaching?