In today’s competitive academic environment, it’s easy for students to take on too much—AP courses, sports, clubs, volunteer work, and part-time jobs. While ambition is valuable, chronic overload can lead to burnout. With spring sports on the horizon, and finals close on their heels, it is vitally important to recognize the signs of student burnout.
What to Watch
It isn’t always easy to tell when a student is overloaded and approaching burnout. Some warning signs can include declining grades, frequent headaches or stomachaches, irritability, and a loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed. Sleep deprivation is another red flag—teens need more rest than adults often realize. One study suggests that 9-12 year olds needs as much as 12 hours of sleep to prevent physical and mental health challenges, and 13-18 year olds need up to 10 hours. (Read that article here)
What Can Parents Do?
Parents can help by having open conversations about priorities. Sometimes, scaling back just one commitment can make a big difference in mental health and academic performance. Encourage your student to balance rigor with downtime and to recognize that rest is part of the productivity cycle. Regular check-ins with your student, checking their student portals, and penciling in enough down time can be a great start!
The AJ Approach
Tutoring can feel like just “one more thing” that needs to find its way into an already busy schedule. However, working with a tutor can make a students course load more manageable and our tutors can provide valuable study skills and time management skills. A students life doesn’t get less busy post high school, so ensuring they have the skills to manage their time well and know how to prioritize is key to their success. When managed well, a full schedule can be exciting and energizing. When unmanaged, it can derail both performance and well-being.
