Parents, teachers and other "old people," probably think that high school is a lark--after all, you are just a carefree teenager. Except that you crack your eyelids open each morning earlier than some CEOs, study all day, participate in after-school activities, eat (maybe), do your homework and head back to the welcoming arms of your bed. Not to mention advanced courses, college applications, tests, scholarships, and maybe, if you're lucky, a social life. If you're not careful, this could lead to becoming burned-out.

Burnout is often confused with stress. Stress is almost always a key factor in burnout, but while stress makes you feel like you've taken on too much, you still feel like you can eventually accomplish everything. Burnout, on the other hand, robs you of your ability to care about your responsibilities. You feel numb to grades, friends and day-to-day tasks. Burnout saps your energy and reduces your productivity. Even worse, you might not even know you've burned-out. If you're not careful, it can become a pattern that affects your work and family life later on. These are symptoms of burnout that you can watch for:

Emotional, mental & physical exhaustion
Your school and activity load weigh on you like the world on Atlas' shoulders. It's time to put down some of that weight, or ask for help carrying it.

Cynicism and sarcasm
Walls go up as you become bitter toward your teachers, friends, coaches and parents. Can't they see that you've got more than you can handle already? Probably not, so you need to let them know.

Poor health
Stress and burnout can cause health problems like headaches, neck or back pain, weight gain or loss, skin diseases, insomnia and emotional distress. Make sure to consult your doctor if you notice any symptoms.

Failure and hopelessness
Instead of trying to catch-up with everything, you shut down. Knowing you've taken on too much isn't a weakness. Strength is recognizing it and adjusting your workload.

If you recognize feelings of stress or depression, it's important to take action in order to avoid burnout. Start by assessing whether you really love all your activities, or if some of them are just to please your parents, friends, teachers or coaches. Focus on the activities you really enjoy.

Eat more than cold pizza for breakfast or burgers on your way to practice. A healthy diet will help keep your mind and body alert.

Make sure to get enough sleep every night (adults require seven to eight hours). Every night with six or fewer hours of sleep impairs your memory, attention span, and the speed at which you think. Each subsequent night has a cumulative effect, so adding this to an already overfull plate puts your body and mind in serious trouble.

It's OK to allow yourself to take a break. Think about it: almost all aspects of your life involve some sort of break. School gives you a few minutes between classes, and a lunch break. Friday night football games have halftime. Even TV shows have commercials! It's no crime to take a break during your "free time." Try these methods to alleviate your stress:

• Take a few minutes every day to exercise. It takes your mind off your day-to-day tasks, and helps keep you physically and mentally healthy.
• Pick up a hobby that isn't related to schoolwork and use it as a release.
• Get away on the weekends. Switch up your everyday life, do something out of the ordinary or go somewhere fun for spring/summer break.
• Try meditating daily. Put aside 10 minutes to sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Try breathing in for three counts and out for three counts regularly. As your mind becomes quiet, increase the time you breathe in and out.

If you start to feel overwhelmed, don't be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. Talk to a parent, teacher or counselor. Remember, burnout can be caused by persistent stress, so recognize that sometimes even you can use a helping hand in relieving that stress before it becomes burnout.

Sources: helpguide.org; cnn.com; mayoclinic.com; cbsnews.com; nccam.nih.gov; apa.org