As the summer is ending we all get into the mindset that we will have a motivated semester compared to the last, however, as the semester progresses we often find ourselves feeling burnt out by the end. As a fourth year college student, this has been something that I have experienced over and over again, and often found myself in a vicious cycle. And I know that many other students have experienced the same thing. However, I found that a lot of healthy habits is a necessity to prevent the feelings of burnout. While school work holds one of our top priorities in life, self-care always has to be considered because if your mental health is declining, your school work can also decline. It’s important to instill good self-care habits to keep yourself in a healthy mindset. Here are a few tips to prevent yourself from being burned out:
- Get at least 7 hours of sleep
I know most students have always thought that they can always catch up on sleep later, but I cannot stress enough the importance of sleep. Burnout is often the result of lack of sleep, and can be the cause of feeling of fatigue and unmotivation. Sleep is an absolute necessity to recharge your mind and body. Your body can go without food or water longer than it can without sleep. Let that sink in. One thing to take away from this is: Prioritize. Your. sleep.
- Take a walk outside for at least 15 minutes
If it’s hard to find time to go to the gym or squeeze in any type of workout during the day, especially if it’s in the middle of the semester. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get your body to move for at least 15 minutes. Even if it’s a short walk, any type of exercise is good for your brain and body. Whenever you start to feel yourself getting burned out or unmotivated, moving your body can help conquer those feelings.
- Stay connected with your friends and family
When we feel very overwhelmed with schoolwork, it’s very easy to feel the need to isolate yourself. However, our minds and bodies have been built to socialize and connect with others. Isolating yourself can make your burn out feel even worse. Being with others who make you feel happy can help clear your mind and get back into the zone of studying.
- Set goals
Feeling burnt out comes with an overwhelming amount of feelings. Putting down realistic goals in front of you can help diminish those feelings of overwhelmingness. Allowing your mind to acknowledge achievable goals helps your mind to stay motivated and keep you organized, all which can prevent the feelings of being burned out.
- Put away the social media
Every single day we are bombarded with information coming from our phones. Social media is one of the biggest contributors to this. Feeling burnt out can make you feel constantly fatigued and simultaneously our brains are being constantly stimulated by social media. This only enhances the feeling of fatigue. I know it’s hard to put our phones down when feeling unmotivated, but if you start out with putting your phone away for even just 10 minutes, you can already feel a difference in feeling refreshed. Allowing your mind to not be stimulated for a few minutes at a time can improve mood and decrease the feelings of fatigue.