Balancing Academics and Well-being: Tips for Students and Parents

We live in a competitive and fast-paced world. Such an environment is more stressful for children and teenagers. Constant exposure to academic pressure and comparison can harm students' well-being. When your child goes to the best international school in Mumbai, we understand you feel responsible.

But being a student at an international school in Mumbai should not be stressful. However, it is also a place that teaches us that students should have a balance between academics and personal well-being. When students fight hard to stay ahead of their peers, often overlook their social needs.

How can you balance well-being and academic stress at the best international school in Mumbai?

Overburdening is harmful

When children get exposed to a highly competitive environment, it overburdens them. Chasing academic excellence and participating in several activities can distort attention over time. Students must know how to prioritise their tasks and hence improve performance.

Leading a healthy lifestyle

Lifestyle is more important than people tend to acknowledge. Having an active lifestyle makes it easier to manage all the tasks at hand. Academics are not the only contributor to stress. Compromised well-being can also be the result of a passive lifestyle. This can be a lack of sleep, no exercise, or poor diet.

Having a strong support system

It is not uncommon to see isolation in students with high academic pressure. When students do not interact with peers or family much due to a rigorous schedule. So having a strong support system including parents, friends, cousins, siblings and the like helps in easing academic stress. Communication is important as it helps in building emotional support and camaraderie.

Plan and prioritise

Having a schedule is important. The trick is not to make it hectic and too rigorous. Having a plan in place does not only mean having an academic plan but also periodic social outings. Of course, it is important to prioritise school work and assignments. This usually spares us from the last-minute stress. But we must also take time off for social interactions.

It is okay to take time off now and then

Friends are more important than parents might think. Not only do they offer social and emotional support, but also weigh off academic stress. We must engage with peers and be fully present.

When you are in the present moment, you get to enjoy your social life. So spending time with friends without any stress of studies helps children to cope better.

'no' is important

The 'art of saying no' is quite helpful in most situations. So when students feel overburdened with exams and assignments, it is okay to say 'no' to extracurriculars. Sometimes having more activities in school can affect your grades. Parents should help children to plan accordingly and also sort their limits which balances wellbeing and stress.

How can academic pressure undermine personal well-being?

Academic demands can be challenging

The current education system is more challenging than ever. There is an increasing emphasis on student's sense of achievement. When students sense high expectations from their parents, teachers, or even themselves, it creates anxiety and stress.

Unpleasant feelings of inadequacy, fear of failure, and disappointment make academics more challenging. It can take a toll on their mental health. Exhaustion and burnout are eminent with increasing academic demand and no relaxation.

Academic pressure can cause social isolation and affect mental health

Social isolation is on the rise among students. When students get cramped into a room studying all day, they lose contact with friends and family. When children can no longer have any social interactions, they ought to feel isolated and lonely.

We live in a world where we depend on digital media to stay connected. These mean we already lack meaningful connections. So, let us not contribute to such factors by increasing stress without prioritising mental health.

Performance anxiety

When students are always under pressure, performance anxiety is bound to catch up. Especially when you have high-functioning children, the slightest fall in grade can increase anxiety levels. Academic pressure can lead to serious physical issues, sleep disturbances, cognitive distortion, headaches, etc.

A child going to the best international school in Mumbai can experience academic pressure. However, such an institute also teaches children how to tackle the pressure without compromising their well-being.

How can you nurture a student's well-being?

Healthy competition-

Children often are subject to comparison by parents, teachers and even themselves. Comparison leads to unhealthy competition among students. So shifting it to healthy competition can account for growth and development in kids rather than anxiety and stress.

Self– compassion-

We often forget how important compassion is when in the race to get the best grades. Teachers need to encourage kids to be compassionate with themselves when they encounter setbacks.

Mental health support-

Mental health should be the priority. Grades are important but that is no reason to compromise your wellbeing. Schools should promote counselling services and mental health workshops.

An empathetic environment-

A nurturing environment is what children need to grow and reach their best potential. A healthy school and home environment is what students require to overcome academic challenges.

When your child is a student at an international school in Mumbai, it gives an environment that nurtures their academics as well as their well-being.

How can balancing academic and social life be helpful to students?

• Striking a balance between academic stress and proper social life leads to personal growth and holistic education
• Having peer interactions and extracurriculars can help in building leadership, teamwork, critical thinking and public speaking skills.
• Academics help to foster cognitive growth but extracurriculars and social interactions help in promoting mental health. A balance offers holistic development.

When your kid goes to ABWA, the best international school in Mumbai, they learn to strike a balance between studies and mental health.

To Wrap Up

Our competitive world compels us to face pressure and anxiety on all fronts of our life. And students are no different. High expectations lead to stress which eventually causes poor mental health. Going to an international school in Mumbai surely raises the stakes. But it is a place that also promotes compassion and the importance of wellbeing. Education at the cost of mental health is not worth it!