This quarter has definitely been my busiest yet. Between my four classes, internship, studying for the LSAT, and multiple clubs, it feels like I barely have time to come up for air. That being said, I’ve been feeling a very intense case of burnout.
Being a student during the end of the quarter (and at a prestigious school with a culture of overachieving), there’s a good chance you’re feeling at least an inkling of burnout too. Maybe you just can’t bring yourself to open that dreaded Google Doc. Maybe the thought of your warm bed sounds so much cozier than getting up and walking to class. Believe me, I am right there with you.
I can’t claim to have cured my burnout yet, but I am taking intentional steps to make myself feel more normal. If you’re in this position too, here are a few suggestions:
- Put The Computer Away When You’re Eating
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When 24 hours doesn’t feel like enough time in the day, I start multitasking. This usually means eating meals while typing away on my computer. Ultimately though, I feel like this has caused me to feel more frazzled and less present. Do yourself a favor and put the screens (or at least the Google Doc) away when you’re eating. You owe it to yourself, for at least that short period of time, to just be in the moment.
- Break Tasks Down Into Smaller Parts
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Looking at the prompt for my 15-page essay gave me a sinking feeling in my stomach. When we look at our assignments in their entirety, it is easy to feel intimidated. For this reason, instead of just looking towards the final deadline, I’ve created a bunch of mini deadlines for myself. For example, I’ll say I should have five pages done by a certain day, 10 pages by another day, etc. This way, my incentive-driven brain is happy from meeting smaller deadlines and I stay on pace to finish by the due date.
- Learn To Say “No”
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It has been hard for me to come to terms with the fact that I can’t do it all. In times of burnout, you have to know your limits and when to say “no”. If you have to cancel plans or say you can’t take on another responsibility, that’s okay. You’re only human; give yourself that leniency to prioritize certain things in your schedule.
Taking care of yourself is super important too. Eating actual food (NOT just instant ramen), exercising (walks count), and getting sufficient sleep will impact how you feel overall. At the same time, don’t forget, it’s okay to slip up sometimes too. Good luck with finals, and hang in there!