How to recognize signs of and beat burnout When the end of the semester approaches it is common for you to feel burnout. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. There are many symptoms of burnout including headaches, stomachaches, difficulty concentrating, feeling drained, and lack of enthusiasm for your work. The American College Health Association found that more than 30 percent of college students had stress negatively affect their life and work. As tests, projects, papers, and homework pile up all at once it is common to struggle to complete assignments and meet deadlines. If left untreated burnout can severely take its toll on your physical and mental health. There are many ways that you can prevent burnout and reignite the fires behind your passion and work ethic to push through your assignments and finals. Reassess Your Time and Commitments The first step any student should take if they are beginning to feel the signs of burnout is reassess the work they are doing. One of the best methods for evaluating your time is to keep a schedule or an excel sheet that tracks how you are using all of your time in a given day. You might realize that something is taking up way too much time in your day and reduce it or drop it from your life completely. You might find that something else is taking longer than it should and find a way to do it more efficiently. One common time consuming task is constantly checking your email and text messages. Instead of checking and responding to every email that you get as soon as it comes in, you should try setting predetermined time during the day to check your email. Later in the day is preferable. Taking a little bit of time to reassess your productivity can be well worth the investment. Organize Yourself One of the simplest ways to get organized is to keep a planner or notepad on you at all times. Your mind can only hold so much information and the more commitments and assignments that you have to commit to memory, the less mental energy you will have to process everything. If you think of something that you need to remember such as a due date or other assignment write it down so you are not constantly thinking about it. A planner is one of the best ways to reduce your stress and to keep track of your commitments including jobs and extracurricular activities. Updating and referring to your planner will give you more time to focus on the work that you are trying to accomplish so you don’t have to rely on your own memory. Prioritize Your Health When you’re stressed and overloaded with work it's easy to set your health aside as you try to push through all of the work and assignments that you have to do. Often times the first thing that you will sacrifice to get their work done is sleep. Substituting sleep with caffeine using sleeping pills to fall asleep more easily will take a toll on your health. Caffeine can be used to extend the time you are able to work for, but not by much. Using sleeping pills for an extended period of time can lead to excessive nightmares. So don’t rely on these temporary fixes and let sleep go by the wayside. Eating healthy is also an important part of keeping burnout at bay. While you are cramming for a test or assignment it’s very easy to substitute nutritious meals with sugary snacks that are more accessible and will give you a temporary energy boost. When choosing a study snack look for foods that are high in protein and antioxidants and have moderate amounts of caffeine. A healthy and balanced diet will allow you to maintain your energy level as you strive to complete your assignments. Relax A little stress can be good for your body because it helps you recognize adjustments and habits that you need to implement into your schedule. Excessive stress, however, quickly takes its toll on the body because it compromises your self-control and clouds your ability to make good decisions. Too much stress can also have a negative impact on your motivation and confidence. Relaxation is one of the best ailments for stress. If you are studying or working for a long period of time set in regular relaxation breaks where you read, listen to music, or find another way to unwind. Set a strict time limit to these breaks so you don’t spend too much time relaxing and not enough time working. I find the perfect time range for these relaxation breaks is 15-30 minutes, as it gives you enough time to recharge your batteries while still allowing you to jump right back in to the work that you’re doing. Remember Your Goals We are all in school to get an education and pursue a field of study that we are passionate about. The tests, assignments, and projects during Finals Week are all just stepping stones for us not an end game. Keeping a list or album of your favorite motivational quotes on hand is a good tool for when you feel down or stressed. Remember Your Needs Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a good guide to reference when you are stressed. The most important needs, Basic Needs, are the two levels at the bottom of the pyramid. If you are unable to meet the foundational needs of the pyramid you will have trouble completing your work and reducing your stress. If you are beginning to feel burnout start from the bottom of the pyramid and make sure that you are meeting all of the needs at each level before you begin to explore the next level. Don’t Give Up
Burnout can occur at any time of the year and severely impact your mental and physical health. Not to mention having your grades slide. These are just some tips to help you navigate the initial stress symptoms that often lead to burnout. Find what works for you. If all else fails try reaching out to friends and family to see if they can help you. Don’t feel like you’re being a burden on them by asking for their input. Burnout can really take its toll on you, but it is always possible to add fuel to the fire and begin burning brightly again.
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