Woman explains why adults feel burnt out after being productive during high school

As children, we work hard in school to prepare for the real world, but this can lead to burnout in adulthood. Rachel Thomas, known as @rachel.ann.thomas on Instagram, highlighted this issue in a viral video with over 26 million views and 1.7 million likes. The video starts with Thomas lip-syncing to a famous dialogue by Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) from "Iron Man," referencing Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) building an advanced suit in a cave.

Thomas used this dialogue to highlight how many adults who were very active in high school quickly became tired once they started working. The text overlay on the video read, "High school, you were able to go to 7 classes, be in a musical, do cheerleading, and do 4+ hours of homework every night!" It then cut to reveal Thomas sitting in a chair, wrapped up in a blanket, looking visibly fatigued with a text overlay that said, "Me now after reading one email." People found the video relatable and shared their experiences in the comment section.

@rgartislife said, "College has taught me how overworked we were in high school." @makoandkonasmom shared, "High school was wild. I played travel sports, high school sports, AP courses, show choir and was in the musicals. I think about this all the time, like how did I do that and why can't I do anything at all now." @jentheferalanimevixen pointed out, "Because now there is the hefty financial burden that comes with being out on your own. Everything is survival mode." @enigmawolfk commented, "They burned us out young, so we struggle to maintain a social life with long working hours needed for survival because the cost of living is so high."

Feeling burnt out is a real problem for many adults today. A few months ago, Coach Peter Guse posted a video on TikTok sharing his insights on the "burnout mindset." In the video, he explains the difference between feeling burnt out and having a burnout mindset and emphasizes the importance of distinguishing the two. He mentions his experience working a corporate job and thinking that taking time off would help him recover.

However, the coach realized something different after quitting his job. He says, "The first week I didn't have anyone to report to, I thought I could rest. But my brain had different ideas because it was busy reminding me that rest is lazy." This mindset contributed to him feeling like he would eventually become "poor and homeless." So, according to him, he has gotten addicted to stress. "My mind would constantly seek evidence to confirm the idea in my subconscious that I picked up when I was ten years old that my self-worth came from my productivity," he explains. The coach's solution to this problem is to change one's mindset completely.

You can follow Rachel Ann Thomas (@rachel.ann.thomas) on Instagram for more insightful lifestyle content.