As college students return from Thanksgiving break, they are met with the beginning of the most stressful time of the fall semester. For most students, they come back to multiple projects and final exams waiting for them. Also, the fact that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break is around two weeks makes it hard for students to get back on track. Such a short turnaround time means that time management is imperative in order to get everything submitted on time.
Some helpful tips to successfully combat burnout would be to create a productive studying environment, limit distractions, implement small goals to lessen the workload and take breaks. Curating a productive working space is important because it helps with retention and improves concentration. Limiting distractions such as technology use is important, but it takes a lot of discipline as it’s very easy to sit on your phone for hours instead of doing your homework. Implementing small goals is key because it allows the amount of work that needs to be done seem smaller. Breaking up the tasks into smaller groups with small leisure time in between is helpful. Furthermore, taking breaks to eat or rest is just as important, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t committed.
One of the biggest motivations that I lean into is that success won’t magically happen, you have to put in the work. Obviously, it is easier said than done, but I really try to remember who I want to be in the future and bear in mind that I can’t reach that goal without accomplishing my current tasks. I also reward myself- albeit, sometimes a little too generously- for completing my tasks. This give-and-take relationship works well for me because it clarifies the positive reward that comes with effort. Also, as someone with anxiety, procrastination is the worst feeling. I often procrastinate assignments which leads to me feeling uneasy the whole time versus actually getting the work done and being able to rest without that unease overcasting my mind. However, with all the tips and tricks, it all comes down to simply being disciplined and doing the work.