Grab a cup of tea ladies, and lets get into something we all know and love… burnout.
Funny enough, I had originally wanted to discuss motivation for college students, a very relevant topic coming out of midterm season, but I missed my deadline, and came to the humbling realization that I was experiencing burnout. So what is burnout? Google defines it as a “physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.” It feels meta being motivated to write about my burnout, but honestly, more times than not motivation is born from a desire to combat burnout. There are some things I’ve learned throughout my time in school that have helped me cope with that feeling that there is too much to do, but I can’t seem to get anything done. However, I also wanted to hear from my followers to see what they thought about the subject, because I couldn’t be the only one grinding through life right now.
There is so much pressure on us as students to do the absolute most, and be the best at it. This causes so much unnecessary stress, as these years should be filled with positive memories, and embarrassing stories, not tears over missed assignments, and exams. UConn does not help with this dichotomy. The school promotes positive mental health and work-life balance, while our professors pile on the assignments, without regard for their students’ mental health. Therefore finding that balance is easier said than done.
So, when you feel yourself going down this path of burnout, what can you do to manage it?
60% of the 100+ responses said that they experience burnout frequently…
From my own experience I find having a routine to be imperative. That means waking up, picking out an outfit, maybe throwing on a swipe of mascara and earrings, just to feel put together and ready to take on the day. Sometimes it feels like too much to put on jeans, but feeling like I look nice truly helps combat that sluggish mentality. I also try to stay away from my dorm for the majority of my day, which consists of classes, study time, and club meetings. My room has so many distractions, like the option of napping, and my friends who all live around me. While fun, it’s hard to be productive in that environment. Lastly, I’m a big believer in giving yourself little rewards, like grabbing a coffee, or allowing myself some time to go on my phone, or listening to a fun song. These help me stay focused and in a somewhat decent mood. They seem like mundane things, but who doesn’t like to romanticize their life?
Those are things that I would recommend to a friend, but after polling my followers I found some trends threaded throughout the responses. To start, unsurprisingly, 60% of the 100+ responses said that they experience burnout frequently, while 38% experience it sometimes, and only 2% never experience it. Must be nice to be that 2%, but that is just not a realty for the majority of us. Many of the responses recommended napping, going to the gym, and taking intermittent breaks. I really enjoyed the responses that emphasized the importance of self-care, and doing things that you enjoy like yoga, or crafts. Taking time to feel good is imperative to being productive. It seems that people get bogged down by their day to day responsibilities and forget to take time for themselves, so to handle this burnout it is important to bring yourself back to what you enjoy. For these people it is working out and hobbies, but this will look different for everyone.
To avoid burning out in the first place you should try to put these suggestions into practice in your day to day life, that is taking time for yourself before you can’t seem to get out of bed. Motivation and productivity take practice and a whole lot of effort, but if you can stay on top of your mental health before it gets bad, it will do you a lot of good. As we have seen you are not alone in feeling this way— 60% of your peers are also experiencing a cruel level of stress, so when you think that the world is against you, remember that the person studying across the room is probably feeling the same way.
So, dear reader, go out and conquer your life. Remember that grades aren’t everything, and do what makes you happy.