It’s that time of the year. Our deadlines are in view and we want to slow down before we reach the finish line. Except, we need to find the strength to finish, our final push to the end. Burnout is a natural consequence of hard work, and pushing yourself maybe too hard. Don’t feel guilty for feeling this way, all hardworking students face it! Here are my tips that have helped me finish out my quarters strong.
Start out slow but steady. You can’t expect yourself to jump back into productivity with 100% speed. The easiest way to lose a race is to force yourself to start with all your energy. You’re only human, and it is an easy way to set yourself back right to the beginning of the burnout race.
Starting out slow can look a lot of different ways. I start by setting a few manageable goals for a period of time. For example, I give myself a few hours in my favorite study spot to get started with a few assignments, and focus on manageable tasks only. You want to promote working but stressing yourself out about the time clock can only push you so far. You want to set yourself up for success, and when you surpass those goals, you can feel proud rather than depleted.
Depending on your work style, you may focus on one thing for hours. Personally, I get bored and unfocused if I spend too long on one thing. A way around this has been working in increments of time on different projects. I have 2 to 3 assignments to work on in rotation (because let’s be honest we aren’t burnt out because we have nothing to do), and make steady progress on each. You can rotate as often as your preference suits. Listen to what your mind is telling you. When you work for too long and begin to hit a wall, take a break from that assignment, reevaluate, put your mind elsewhere, and come back with a fresh mindset!
Speaking of working in time increments, maybe try out new studying techniques! Clearly we need to tackle some new ideas to boost productivity. I began using the Pomodoro Method, 25 minutes of work and then a 5 minute break. I was hesitant at first, but it works for me and I still use this study method. I sometimes even work past 25 minutes just because I get into a natural groove. This could be the way you find a whole new method that works for you!
My hack is to find new ways to trick your brain into doing the work. In an age of shorter attention spans, we have to convince our brain that homework is more fun than doomscrolling.
Although we cannot control burnout, it really is a sign that you may be pushing yourself too hard. We don’t always get the pleasure of taking a break but when you see one in the near future, like Winter Break, get yourself to the finish line. Utilize that time you do have to reflect on your habits, and give yourself some well-deserved rest. You want to give yourself recovery time, even if it is just a weekend. You’ve got this!