Understanding and Preventing Burnout

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged or repeated stress. It can affect anyone—students, staff, and families alike—and is especially common when people feel overwhelmed and under-supported. Signs of burnout include constant fatigue, difficulty concentrating, loss of motivation, emotional detachment, and increased irritability. You might notice a decline in performance, withdrawal from preferred activities, or even physical symptoms like headaches or trouble sleeping. Left unaddressed, burnout can have serious effects on wellbeing and mental health, contributing to anxiety, depression, and broader disengagement.

It’s important that we learn to recognise the signs of burnout in ourselves and those around us so we can respond early and implement prevention strategies. Among students, burnout can appear as ongoing school avoidance, falling behind in work, or a loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed. For adults, it might look like emotional exhaustion, a sense of ineffectiveness, or a reduced ability to cope with everyday demands. These symptoms may sound similar to early signs of depression, or other diagnosable mood disorders.

To prevent burnout, prioritising regular breaks, maintaining realistic expectations, and balancing workload with rest is key. For students, this might mean structured homework routines, allocated time for physical activity, and maintaining social connections. For staff and caregivers, it’s equally important to set boundaries, seek peer support, and practise self-care without guilt.

Some practical ways to implement these strategies are to sit down periodically (such as at the beginning of a term) and set SMART goals, visually outline a typical weekly schedule, and set-up a 15 to 30-minute end of day routine which may include brief journalling to track mental wellbeing (e.g. emotional labelling, word of the day, or rate energy out of 10).

If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, please reach out—to a trusted adult, a colleague, a health professional, or our school’s wellbeing team. Burnout is common, but with the right support and strategies, it can be managed, recovered from, and even prevented.

College Counsellors 

Allison Flanagan
aflanagan@wmac.com.au

Tia Reardon  
treardon@wmac.com.au