Helpful Tips to Support Your Teen With Burnout

advice burnout burnout prevention calgary counselling counselling calgary teen counseling youth counseling youth counseling calgary Mar 30, 2023
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At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates Counselling & Coaching, we are proud to have helped many teens overcome their challenges through comprehensive youth counselling. And one issue that often arises in our work is teens experiencing burnout. It makes sense, given the sky-high expectations for academic success and the constant pressure that young people feel to be perfect and be seen. That's why today we have decided to put together some helpful tips to support your teen with burnout.

 

Supporting your teen through burnout is essential for helping them develop their mental health and well-being, and believe me when I tell you, this is possible! Regardless of whether they are under too much pressure from school, extracurricular activities, or social stressors, it can be done! In this blog post, let's explore how to assist your teenager when they're feeling overwhelmed and ways to help them reduce tension and find balance in life.

 

What Is Burnout?

 

Burnout is an omnipresent yet draining phenomenon caused by extended periods of high stress or demands. It may manifest as exhaustion, dread, anxiety, and hopelessness. This may be very damaging to your teen in the long run, as they are still growing and might not be able to successfully cope with the sudden pressure that feelings of being burned out may bring. So if you suspect your teenager is experiencing this, it is important to be mindful and observe any changes in their behaviour that could be signs that they may need help.

 

How Can You Help Your Teen Deal With School Burnout? 

 

To help your teen cope with burnout effectively, it’s important to help them first recognize any warning signs. Try getting them to put their phones down and talk with them at the dinner table;  ask them open-ended questions like "How are you feeling?” to encourage them to talk openly about their stressors. Simple conversations are powerful, and this is a crucial first step in getting your teen the help they need.

 

You can also encourage them to take breaks when needed and try to get them to open up to activities that can help reduce stress, like meditation or journaling. Lastly, help your child set realistic goals for themselves and recognize when they feel tired or irritable when doing school-related tasks like studying or turning in assignments on time. Once these feelings are recognized, take steps to help your child find balance in their daily lives. Balance can include a lot of different elements for your teen, but here are some practical strategies:

 

  • Establish healthy boundaries - encourage your teen to say ‘no’ once in a while if they feel overwhelmed (i.e., no more than 5 commitments per week). This way they won’t overcommit themselves and will stay focused on completing each task instead of trying to do everything at once.

 

  • Prioritize tasks - To ensure your child's academic success, encourage them to create a weekly plan of tasks and activities they need to complete. Breaking down large goals into smaller, more manageable steps can help prevent any feelings of being overwhelmed by too much happening at once.

 

  • Take breaks - Remind teenagers it's okay (and healthy!) to take some much-needed me-time, whether that's taking weekends off from homework completely or just having one night off from studying before exams, etc. Giving your teen permission to recharge their mind and body and giving them regular rest periods, will help prevent further burnout!

 

  • Get Moving and Get Creative! - Find activities your teenager actually enjoys doing like running, biking, swimming, etc., and encourage regular participation in these activities even just 30 minutes a day could make all the difference! If your teen is more artistically inclined, encourage them to enter arts programs at school or find after-school programs in your area. according to Denise Grail Brandenburg, arts education specialist, and team lead at the National Endowment for the Arts. “Arts education can support the social and emotional learning needs of students."

 

  • Talk It Out! - Encourage your teen to open up about their struggles. This can be hard, especially if your teen is on the quiet side, but signify to them that it's okay to not always be okay & help them speak up about difficult emotions. Most importantly, give them the support they need. Be there to listen and try not to judge, no matter how difficult it is. Remind your teen that small accomplishments are something to be proud of.

 

Conclusion

 

Teenage burnout is common in today's society, which puts a lot of pressure on our young people. Luckily, there are options available when it comes to helping our children better deal with increasing pressure, and if we work together with our teens, we can ultimately help them process feelings of burnout and permit them to cope with the challenges of school and growing up, in healthy and productive ways. By following these few simple steps outlined above, you can help your teen become a powerful advocate for their own well-being. 

 

To schedule a consultation and learn more about our youth counselling work, don’t hesitate to reach out.

 

 

 

 

 

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