Academic burnout is physical, emotional and mental exhaustion usually caused by prolonged academic pressure. This leads to intense fatigue, loss of motivation and avoidance of schoolwork. Dealing with academic burnout can be one of the biggest hurdles in an individual’s academic career.
“Academic burnout can really mess with students’ mental and physical health. Instead of helping students by reducing the pressure, schools often add more and can tire them out. This shows that students need breaks and the ability to find a balance between school and their personal life,” said junior Rashmi Shanmuga.
According to the National Library of Medicine (NIH) over 70% of US teens experience school burnout or stress.
Senior Lydea McDougald said, “Most of my academic burnout is from work overload when mixing with my life outside of school. I usually have no time for homework at home so my work will start falling behind causing everything to become unbalanced.”
An unbalanced lifestyle from academic burnout results in a cycle of chronic stress where exhaustion leads to worsening performance, which leads to further exhaustion and stress.
However, academic burnout can be positive when looking at it from certain aspects. It can prompt change in a person’s life that ultimately leads to personal growth. Burnout can also force you to put yourself first and reassess your priorities.
Junior Valentina Valverde said, “I prevent burnout from school by doing a fun or relaxing activity during my free time to let myself decompress. On particularly busy days, I set aside some time to play with my dogs, watch a show, or listen to music.”
Dealing with burnout requires you to prioritize rest, set strict boundaries and seek support from individuals that will help you through it. Avoiding procrastination and breaking work into smaller chunks can help you feel less stressed which will ultimately cause less burnout in regard to education.
