“I make sure that whatever free time I have between jobs, I spend that time getting my homework done and I take one day off from Halo, so I dedicate that day off to stay on top of my online classes,” Burt said.

     Burt began working at her first job at Halo Home after she turned 15. She started working because she realized that if she wanted to buy things on her own, she would have to make her own money.

     “I really liked the validation I got from completing tasks and making my own paychecks,” Burt said. “Once that started, it was kind of hard to stop making money once I realized all of the ways I could make money and help people out.”

     In addition to earning money, Burt has been able to acquire a variety of life skills through her different jobs.

     “Cleaning that house every day helps me understand what it's going to be like when I move out,” Burt said. “On top of that, working at my retail store, I feel like I’ve learned a lot about a small business and what it takes to run one and management skills.”

     Even though Burt thrives off of staying busy, committing herself to multiple different things on a daily basis can become overwhelming and stressful.

     “Committing myself to all of these jobs gave me a lot of responsibility and it means a lot of people are relying on me, so I have to be there for them and hold true to my word,” Burt said. “Sometimes it gets stressful because they overlap, like when I have to pick up the kids, but then I might have work.”

     When Burt has time off from work, she likes to spend time with her grandmother. Her grandmother was recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and as it has progressed, she had to move in with Burt and her family. 

     “I have always been really close with my [grandmother] and I honestly enjoy the extra time I get to spend with her now that we are under the same house,” Burt said. “So whenever I am home I make it a point to designate some time to spend with her and talk to her because I never know how much time I am going to have left.”

     Burt is also her grandma’s full-time caretaker when her mother leaves for work trips. While Burt has many responsibilities, she has found this to sometimes be a hardship with juggling her other jobs, which can become overwhelming. 

     “For my anxiety, that was one of the hardships I faced, but I have been trying a bunch of different techniques like journaling, meditation and mindfulness to help with my anxiety and calm down to live more in the moment,” Burt said. 

     Burt is not only successful in what she currently does regarding her busy lifestyle, but she has bigger dreams for the future which she is determined to achieve. 

     “My biggest dream is to one day be successful enough where I won't have to work multiple jobs,” Burt said. “I want to be able to have my life set up where I won't be overworking myself, and I'll finally be able to relax and just focus on one thing.”

     With Burt being only a junior in high school, she has quite the experience from all of her different jobs while also balancing the most challenging and important year of high school. She has crucial advice for others who might be similar to herself.

     “A piece of advice I would give to others is that I wish I would listen to myself and that it is okay to ask for help when you need it and it is okay to take a break because everyone deserves it,” Burt said.