The transition from high school to college is more of a leap than a step, and it can be tough on our kids. With money worries, exam stress and learning to live alone for the first time, it’s no wonder rates of anxiety, depression and stress in young people are on the rise.

So, what’s the best way to help college students adjust to their new environment and workload, and how do you know when to worry? When the phone rings late at night, you need to know what advice to give your child, so they can weather the storm. Here are four essential tips to help your college kid avoid burnout.

Preach the Importance of Sleep

College students are notorious for cramming their studying into “all-nighters” fuelled by caffeine and sugary snacks, but nothing leads to burnout faster than lack of sleep. However much your child has on her plate, encourage her to get some much-needed rest before she attempts to tackle her work. Sleep deprivation will affect your child’s concentration and memory function, which is hardly conducive to productive study. Tell her to get to bed early and set her alarm for the crack of dawn if she must. Then, after some much-needed rest and perhaps a burst of exercise, she’ll be better equipped to tackle her to-do-list.

Help Your Child Eat More Healthily

College-age kids aren’t known for having the best nutrition habits, so give your child a helping hand with her diet whenever you can. Take her shopping and load her up with some healthy brain foods like bananas, oily fish and nuts. Encourage her to lay off the alcohol and caffeine, especially when she has a paper due, as both of these substances disturb sleep and concentration.

Teach Your Child How to Plan

You’ve probably already talked your child’s ear off about the importance of planning for a big deadline, but don’t get impatient if she doesn’t seem to take it in. Your child is still learning and gaining experience, and it could be a few years before she appreciates the wisdom behind your words. Your child’s stress levels will peak if she hasn’t planned for a looming deadline or if she loses work because her files weren’t backed up, so teach her how to stay organized. If she accidentally deletes her essay, don’t fret. Companies like Secure Data Recovery use electronic data discovery to recover lost work in as little as twenty-four hours.

Encourage Self-Care

As well as learning the art of self-discipline, your college kid also needs to know when to give herself a break. Remember to practice what you preach when you doll out advice. It’s no good telling your child to take regular work breaks if you work around the clock. If you need a little help with winding down yourself, the two of you could take up a relaxing hobby of yoga or meditation. Thanks to the invention of video messaging platforms like Skype, you don’t even need to be in the same country to bond over a shared activity.

How to Help Your College Kid Avoid Burnout

November 17, 2017