From Burnout to Balance: Embedding Wellbeing in the Professional Trajectory of GTAs

Abstract

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in higher education balance the dual demands of teaching and research, which can foster professional growth yet often lead to overwork and burnout. This reflective paper draws on my experience of teaching professional writing to MA Foreign Language (FL) students at The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU). It highlights stressors related to workload, mentoring, and balancing institutional expectations with research progress. In response, I implemented four wellbeing strategies: (1) structured feedback windows, (2) realistic goal-setting, (3) peer support networks, and (4) regular reflective practice. Drawing on pedagogical principles from feedback and self-regulated learning research, these strategies enhanced both teaching quality and research productivity. The analysis positions wellbeing not as a reactive response to burnout but as a proactive, integral practice essential for sustaining GTAs’ professional and personal development in higher education.