Many students pack all sorts of activities into their schedules to feel fulfilled and well-rounded. Parents may urge even the youngest children to join activities 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 offer many benefits, a packed schedule can quickly become too much. Overloading a schedule with schoolwork, a part-time job, and other activities can keep a student involved, but students and their families must 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 that nearly half of 128 surveyed students reported feeling very stressed daily.

Here are five signs a student is taking on too much.
 

  1. Not getting enough sleep.
    According to a national study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about seven out of 10 high school students report not getting enough sleep. Students who are staying up later and later to get things done because of jam-packed schedules may be too busy.
     
  2. 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.
     
  3. Newly occurring health problems.
    Students who complain of stomach aches or headaches may be stressed. These problems can arise from anxiety, irregular meals, and lack of sleep. Kids may also become moodier from having too much to do.
     
  4. Complaining about tasks.
    Students who start complaining regularly or show less joy about participating in extracurriculars may have too much on their plates. They may mention not getting a break to hang out with friends or family.
     
  5. Parents are stressed, too.
    Adults who manage kids’ schedules and get them to and from activities may also 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 prevent additional side effects of being too busy.