With the end of the semester in sight, I think it’s safe to say everyone on campus is feeling the pressure of finals, projects, and the influx of assignments in the last few weeks of school. And while I haven’t come close to completely figuring out how to avoid burnout altogether, I’ve found success in a few things that I’ve researched and tried.
Summer’s coming, but don’t check out before then
It’s totally okay to be excited about the end of the school year! Planning vacations, seeing old friends, and warm weather are all necessary after a stressful semester, and the last few weeks of school will go by quick enough that these things will be a reality sooner than we realize. However, obsessing over the summer’s events will only make the rest of school drag on- focusing solely on the excitement of things in the future will make the present even more boring and painful. It’s especially dangerous with only a little over two weeks of classes left- the increased pressure from classes with finals approaching make it difficult to not constantly daydream about beach days. Something that helps is remembering that the finish line is too close to justify quitting the race now. Doing your best to keep on top of your work and staying optimistic while also keeping the anticipation of the end of the semester in the back of your mind can be a good balance.
Get out of your room
Try to keep yourself from doing homework holed up inside your bedroom. Study outside when it’s warm and sunny out, find a good spot in the library, or anywhere that limits distraction and lets you be productive- most importantly, leave your bed when you study. Don’t let yourself associate your bed with anything other than relaxing or sleeping- doing homework in bed might be comfortable, but it creates a correlation between getting in bed with doing something that causes stress. An important factor of avoiding burnout is having a safe space to truly unwind and allow yourself to feel relaxed, as well as getting good sleep.
Another method to avoid burnout is exercise. Even if just for half an hour, going outside and engaging in something physical every day has been shown to reduce stress hormones like cortisol, and produce chemicals like endorphins that aid in relaxation (https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax). Getting the motivation to get up and work out can feel impossible sometimes, especially when schoolwork feels like the only thing you should be dedicating time to- but as important as getting assignments done is, making yourself and your health a priority is key to avoiding burnout.
Go to class
Dragging yourself out of bed, half-awake, to a morning class might be one of the worst feelings. This feeling is only amplified as the end of the year gets closer and closer. That being said, an even worse feeling would be tanking your GPA in the homestretch of the semester. Taking mental health breaks is always important, and if skipping an unnecessary class is what you need to get through the week then it isn’t the end of the world-however, keeping yourself accountable and meeting deadlines can boost motivation and prevent overdue work from piling up.