It’s that time of year where days are shorter, everyone has a cold, and schoolwork is about to start piling up around you. It can be hard to stay motivated when the weight of school starts to feel a little too heavy. All of that stress can leave you feeling unmotivated and frozen, not wanting to face any of your responsibilities. To make life easier, I have made a list with some advice to help you out. With that, here are a few ways I like to prevent semester burnout.
1. Focus on your goals
We all have something that lights a fire in us. Whenever my to-do list gets too long, I try to remember what I am working for. This could be different for everyone. For me, it’s my career path. There is nothing that makes me study harder than this reminder. Every class is a stepping stone towards your end goal; your career. It can be helpful to write down more tangible monthly goals and keep them on your desk, so you can recognize and value your achievements along the way.
2. Prioritize
Prioritize whatever you feel comes first. Drop what you can and focus on what will make you happy and successful at this moment. This could look like deciding to stay in and study for an exam, but it can also look like choosing to take a break from your work and hanging out with friends. There needs to be a healthy balance of personal and academic thriving. Figure out what deserves your time and effort and then set forth and conquer.
3. Take care of yourself
This category includes lots of things that all overlap. Have a sleep schedule and let your body rest, it’s good for you. Practice gratitude and remind yourself what you are grateful for. Pamper yourself and do all the little things that make you feel relaxed and refreshed. Exercise and let your natural endorphins elevate you — and don’t forget to eat foods that make you feel good. I could go on, but I think you get the gist. Taking care of yourself means you’ll be less stressed and being less stressed means being able to reach your goals more easily. Treat your body with kindness so you can be the best version of yourself.
4. savor the moment
Sometimes when I am walking around campus and my days are starting to blur together I have to practice being in the moment. Slow down and enjoy the views on your walk to class. Sip your coffee slowly and appreciate all of its flavors. Let the cold air hit your face and turn your cheeks red and feel present. Grounding myself is something I have been working a lot on this year and I feel like it helps me slow down time a bit. This can help calm your mind when you feel like you have been going 100 mph for the past month. It might feel silly at first, but once you get into it, it starts to feel like a habit.
Although school can be stressful and you can start to feel burnt-out at times, try to keep in mind that when you look back you are going to see this all from a different perspective. One day you will not remember how behind you felt or how stressed you were on a specific day. You will just look back and see how your potential blossomed and brought you to where you are. Do what you can to prevent semester burn-out and allow your motivation to ebb and flow.
You got this!
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!