Mallory Mills

Almost every single high school student has experienced some sort of ‘burnout.’ Whether it be feeling overwhelmed from trying to juggle a job and school, feeling as if tasks are tedious and boring, or lacking a sense of purpose, burnout is hard on everyone, especially high schoolers.

As someone that experiences burnout often, I feel it is important for other people to understand what it is and how to identify it. Here are some tips and tricks recommended by other students and professionals alike to help prevent and treat burnout.

Identifying Burnout

You probably wonder, how do I even identify burnout? Burnout can have many different definitions and appearances, but it is typically seen as fatigue, unwillingness, easy to anger, headaches, and feeling overall down.

Treating Burnout

Even if you aren’t currently suffering with burnout, it is important to have tricks in mind in case you do begin to experience it.

1. Reach out to others.

Reaching out to others is important with any personal issue, especially for burnout. Burnout can make you feel alone and desperate, and knowing you have another person there to help you can be very comforting and helpful.

2. Practice self care.

Treating yourself is an amazing way to help yourself through rough times. Even if it’s just reading a book, or taking a long shower, treating yourself first can be very calming.

3. Make changes.

Sometimes having the same routine for too long can become boring, so don’t be afraid to change things up a little. It doesn’t need to be anything drastic, but minor changes can help you feel more entertained with your life and look forward to things.

4. Do things that you enjoy.

This ties into self care, but rather focuses more on your likes rather than your mental health. If you enjoy riding a bike, go for more bike rides. This not only brings you more joy, it might also provide a change to your routine.

5. Find ways to deal properly with stress.

Everyone is different and deals with stress differently. If you’re experiencing stress, try to find positive ways to deal with it. Take breaks, and set boundaries for yourself. Don’t overexert yourself and put your mental well-being first.