By Terrie Johnson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

Student burnout is an issue that can affect the level of concentration in class or at home. Its implications may involve challenges such as limited retention during instructions. As such, most students experiencing burnout have a high chance of not meeting their goals. The issue may also increase the development of secondary problems. For example, there is a high chance that a student’s emotional wellness may be affected. Behavioral patterns may also change, which would affect productivity at all levels of life. Considering the causative factors and solutions is necessary to mitigate the challenge.

The student burnout problem can be traced to various factors. One element is being provided with an overwhelming amount of schoolwork. From a classroom perspective, a teacher may see this practice as productive. However, it leads to overworking and subsequent burnout. Another causative factor is the lack of sleep, or poor habits that drain the body’s energy (poor diet, lack of exercise, etc.). Thus, the student would find it increasingly difficult to complete school tasks. The lack of physical exercise to reduce excess fats from the body and strengthen muscles also instigates the feeling of burnout. In some cases, students may pursue unrealistic goals. Thus, they become predisposed to experiencing burnout.

The student burnout issue has critical remedies that would facilitate positive outcomes for the affected individuals. Taking limited school work is one of the initiatives toward reducing educational workload. Going easy on oneself by resting and relaxing is also helpful to prevent the feeling of burnout among students (Garlinghouse, 2023). Avoiding unrealistic expectations of self by setting achievable goals lessens the pressure on an individual. This step helps to provide leverage for mental health and effective performance within a pedagogical setting (Garlinghouse, 2023). Students should also seek mental help when they determine they are experiencing burnout. The above initiatives would restore desired well-being. What have you done to avoid burnout?

Reference

Garlinghouse, R. (2023). I’m a former college teacher and watched as students burned themselves out. Here’s what students can do to prevent and deal with burnout. Yahoo! News. Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/news/im-former-college-teacher-watched-113200379.html