An Overachievers Guide to Avoiding Burn Out

Maybe we’re selected at birth, maybe it’s passed down through our bloodlines, or maybe some random event from childhood forced us into this path. Being an overachiever is a full time job (not including your part-time job, your full-time schooling and somehow your thriving social life/romantic relationship). I see you, I am you. There’s something within us that just never allows us to quit. Being over achievers inherently makes us near perfect matches for burn out. It always happens, every semester like clock work. I’ll find myself lying on my floor in my tear soaked t-shirt as my laptop illuminates my bedroom with the Canvas dashboard screen. This spring I want to take action — preventative measures to try and stop the burn out in its tracks. Maybe you’re like me and want to prevent burn out too. Here are some tips that could save us both from losing ourselves this semester.

Study dates with friends.

Study dates are a great way to stay connected with friends while simultaneously being productive. Sometimes, I have too many assignments to be pulled away from my computer but the human in me is craving social interaction. This is when I call my bestie, Amaria, and plan a study date.

When we go on study dates, we like to pick a new coffee shop neither of us have tried. A couple months ago we went to The Lab Coffee in Seminole Heights and I got what was probably the best dirty chai I’d ever tried. We worked for a couple of hours and both were able to check things off of our school to-do list. Afterwards, we wandered into some of the surrounding shops. It was really nice. We were productive with our schooling and also got to go on an adventure! 

Don’t abandon self care.

It’s so easy to fall off of our self care routines once we get into the groove of the semester, but it’s so important to stay consistent. You might workout, have a nice skin care routine, or paint your nails every Sunday night. Whatever your self care habits, it’s something that makes you feel good and overall is beneficial to you.

This is probably what I struggle with the most. It’s just so easy to get lost in the sauce of the semester. Putting the time aside to take care of yourself can make all the difference in whether or not you burn out. When all we do is work for school or other people, of course it’s gonna drain us out. Take the time to do things just for you!

Re-evaluate often and don’t be afraid to drop things.

As overachievers, it may not be our favorite thing to do, but re-evaluating and dropping the things that stress us out or no longer serve us is beyond necessary! Literally ask yourself, “Does this still serve me?” and “Is this benefiting me enough to continue with it?” and if you answer no, drop it! 

I had to drop a couple of my extracurriculars recently. I joined them originally because I wanted the experience and the overachiever in me wants to achieve everything! They were also really cool opportunities that would have been amazing learning experiences for me. However, I already go to school full-time, work part-time, and am involved with two clubs on campus. A girl needs balance!

It’s okay not to do everything. It’s okay to have some down time! Us overachievers need to take a step back and re-evaluate often because we put too much on plates without even realizing. Over scheduling ourselves is essentially a one way ticket to burn out paradise!

Do something spontaneous every now and then to shake things up.

While it’s important to stick to your routine, it’s also good to break it every now and then. A little contradictory, I know, but hear me out for a minute. As overachieving students, we sometimes lose ourselves in school. Sometimes I feel like there is a part of me that doesn’t exist as long as I’m taking classes. There was a point last fall where I hadn’t driven my car at night in 2 months! My life was: wake up, go to school, go to work and be home by sunset just to do homework until I fell asleep. Remember, we’re still human beings living life. You can still make memories and enjoy yourself when you’re a student. It might be a little harder but it’s 100% worth it. Shake things up by getting lunch from a new restaurant or driving to the beach to watch the sunset. Maybe do a weekend trip and knock out all your homework during the week so you can take that well-deserved break.

I think the concept of our lives and the fun starting once we graduate is so odd. Yes, we have responsibilities but that doesn’t mean you can’t live a little while still in school. It’s so important to enjoy life.

Love the amazing YOU!

Take a second to remind yourself of your humanity and that you are doing your best. Things aren’t life or death, it’s just life — your life. Spend it doing things that make you happy. Life is terribly short, so create one you love. Take it easy on yourself and treat yourself the way you would treat someone you love. Free your mind and spirit from the bounds and chains of what society tells us success looks like and do you, boo! 

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