Everyone gets burned out sometimes. Usually we associate burn-out with the end of the semester. You’re stressed as ever about finals and papers that count for a huge percent of your grade but the motivation is just gone. You’re brain has gone into break mode prematurely, and no matter how many hours you spend in silent study, you can’t seem to retain anything. It sucks. This feeling is avoidable, and there are a couple things that are important to keep in mind throughout the semester to prevent yourself from being anything less than your best by the time finals role around, and these habits need to be built up now.
1: Have a schedule
Avoid having to do catch-up work. You will end up exerting so much energy on doing something that would’ve been much easier had you just spaced it out. If you do a little bit each day, you won’t have to cram at the end, and you will be more well rested and at peace in general. Create a schedule for doing work for yourself. If you know you have x amount to do by x date, break it up accordingly. Having a plan for tackling large (and small!) assignments will help you stay motivated and encouraged rather than exhausted and overwhelmed. You can only work yourself so hard for so long, so don’t use up all your energy before the most important times of the year.
2: Develop a routine
Waking up at the same time everyday does wonders for your physical health. You can’t always control when you go to sleep, but you can control when you wake up, and the earlier you wake up, the earlier you’ll want to go to bed. It will help give you regularity, which translates to confidence in what you’re doing. Having a routine helps you plan your time as well by giving you a clear idea of when you can realistically get work done.
3: Maintain good habits
We’re not perfect, and you’re going to have assignments that you procrastinate and days where you miss sleep. Sometimes you will be off your game. Accept it and move on, you’ll do better next time. But try your best to uphold the standards you set for yourself. Schedules and routines are great but they mean nothing if you don’t follow through with them. You have to stick to them to the best of your abilities to keep yourself at your best.