When we’re stressed, our healthy habits can go out the window. Your teen might forget to drink water when they’re revising, struggle with going to bed early or they may feel like their days are too busy for exercise.
Researchers recently announced the top healthy habits proven to help reduce burnout during intense study periods. In the last of our Get Prepped series, we share these 11 healthy habits – plus advice from the experts on how to help your teen follow as many of them as possible during the busy exam period.
1. Habit: Do exercise
Make it happen: Remind them that movement doesn’t have to be an intense workout
Fitting in the exercise might feel like another chore for your teen. “It can be helpful to remind them that movement doesn’t always have to mean putting on the gym kit,” says Lashara Wood, a mindset and wellness coach. “There are so many ways we can move our bodies and connect to our senses – from walking to dancing to yoga.” You could also encourage them to center one revision break around movement each day.
2. Habit: Take breaks and days off
Make it happen: Help them prioritise down-time in their revision timetable
Check in on their revision timetable to make sure it’s realistic and has plenty of breaks scheduled in. “No student should have to spend their whole holidays or study period revising. It often does more harm than good,” says JC, MyTutor tutor.
3. Habit: Develop a support system
Make it happen: Encourage them to swap social media for face-to-face friend time
Staying connected socially is one of the most important healthy habits to help prevent burnout. Though your teen may be on social media during their breaks, science says that meeting face-to-face is the key to maintaining friendships and helping us feel happier.
4. Habit: Dedicate time for fun
Make it happen: Help them find moments to let loose
When in exam mode, it can be difficult to embrace the fun. But getting out of their heads can be an important way for them to find balance. Before they can properly celebrate when exams are over, help them find small moments of fun in between revising. “Meet up with friends, visit the park, go swimming, have picnics or even binge watch Netflix together. Use your free time to really relax,” suggests Carys Scales, MyTutor tutor.
5. Habit: Eat well
Make it happen: Eat at least one healthy meal together per day
“Once per day (but the more the better), come to the table and eat the same foods together,” says children’s dietician Lucy Upton. “Family meals are the rock-solid foundation of promoting confidence in eating well for children and teens.” So, try making a daily meal together a non-negotiable – no matter how busy they are with revision.
And you don’t need to spend hours creating healthy meals from scratch all the time. Just aim for balance by filling their plate with energy-boosting foods like lean meats, wholegrains and leafy vegetables. Omega-3 foods like salmon, nuts and seeds have also been proven to help keep them focused.
6. Habit: Hydrate
Make it happen: Encourage them to drink more by modelling the habit
It might not always feel like it, but teens look up to their parents. If you kickstart a habit, they’re more likely to try it themselves. Whether it’s a fun water bottle, limiting your caffeine or drinking a big glass of water in the morning, modelling these habits yourself will motivate them to do the same.
7. Habit: Minimise distractors
Make it happen: Offer suggestions without dictating
A recent BBC poll found that 70% of parents feared social media could distract children from their work, but many claimed that blocking the internet just resulted in tantrums or even tears. So, finding a middle ground is important.
“Programs like RescueTime, StayFocused and Cold Turkey allow them to block, filter, schedule and delete distractions. You could also encourage your teen to silence their phone, disable notifications and maybe even change social media passwords during exams,” says Kristina, MyTutor parent.
8. Habit: Sleep well
Make it happen: Try a calming activity together before bed
Properly winding down before bed can really help to quieten whirring thoughts. Mindful activities have been proven to help us sleep better and deeper. So, whether it’s listening to an audiobook, taking a bath or trying a guided sleep meditation, doing one of these with your teen could help you both sleep better.
9. Habit: Study with others
Make it happen: Help them explore group study
“Peer to peer learning is very powerful, it’s a great way to iron out kinks in your understanding,” says Michelle, MyTutor tutor. “You can get together with a study partner or group and explain the material to each other.”
“I’d also recommend trying an online tutor,” says Kristina, MyTutor parent. “They can provide the dialogue, spontaneity and active participation of face-to-face interaction. It’s about actual social engagement and an interactive classroom, that I think, dare I say it, they really enjoy.” You can also explore MyTutor’s group study sessions here.
10. Habit: Identify suitable study spaces
Make it happen: Create a quiet study set-up at home
Where your teen studies is important to help them stay focused and feel relaxed. At home, try to find a room with a door so they can shut the world out if they want. If they’d prefer to venture out to study, you could check out the local library or local work-friendly coffee shops to help them get a change of scene. Read more on helping them create the best study set-ups in our guide.
11. Habit: Recognise that feelings of burnout are normal
Make it happen: Talk to them about your own experiences
One of the most effective ways to help your teen feel less stressed is by being open and listening to how they’re feeling. Sharing your own experiences of being stressed or burnt out can also help to normalise these feelings.
It’s tough to keep up healthy habits during times of stress, so our advice is to try modelling healthy habits whenever you can and provide gentle encouragement rather than dictating whenever you can.