Many students pack all sorts of activities into their schedules in an effort to be as fulfilled and wellrounded as possible. Parents may urge even the youngest of children to join activities in an effort to make friends and 'be involved.' Colleges may require students to participate in a certain number of sports or clubs in order to be considered for acceptance, and students may even carry these extracurriculars into their higher education years to boost résumés they ultimately send to prospective employers.
While music lessons, soccer practice and dance classes are enriching activities that can offer an array of benefits, a packed schedule can quickly become too much. Overloading a schedule with school work, a parttime job and other activities can keep a student involved, but it is essential that students and their families learn to recognize when they may be too busy for their own good. According to the University of Rochester Medicine, studies show that children need free time to decompress, use their imaginations and develop thinking skills. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found nearly half of 128 surveyed students reported feeling very stressed on a daily basis. Here are signs a student is taking on too much.
-Not getting enough sleep: According to a national study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about seven out of 10 high school students report that they do not get enough sleep. Students who are staying up later and later to get things done because of jam-packed schedules may be too busy.
- Grades are slipping: Sudden difficulty with school is another sign of being over-extended. Activities may be taking up too much time and grades can start to drop as a result.
-Newly occurring health problems: Students who complain of stomach pains or headaches may be stressed out. These problems can arise from anxiety, irregular meals and lack of sleep. Kids also may become more moody from having too much to do.
- Complaining about tasks: Students who start to complain regularly or show diminished joy about participating in extracurriculars may have too much on their plates. There may be mention of not getting a break to hang out with friends or family.
- Parents are stressed, too: Adults who are responsible for managing kids' schedules and getting them to and fro also may feel the stress of a schedule that is too hectic to handle.
Scaling back a student's activity list might be just what is needed to alleviate anxiety and avoid additional side effects of being too busy.