As a university student, I have come to the realization that burnout often occurs when I try to be perfect. While university can be an exciting experience, it can also be stressful and overwhelming. When I have too many things on my plate, I feel burnt out. This issue leads me to put my work aside while my responsibilities pile up. I have dedicated this year to ending the cycle of doing too much and then burning out. Here, I have compiled several strategies that help me minimize burnout.
For me, the combination of constant deadlines, lack of sleep, and managing my mental health all contribute to the feeling of burnout. Sometimes, I feel like professors forget that, along with one class, come four others and that I have deadlines to consider in each one. On top of that, late-night study sessions do not always make it easy to stay alert the next day during early morning classes. Telling myself that my mental health is supposed to be my main priority can make it even harder to balance everything. Understanding the causes of my burnout has helped me lessen it.
When 8:30 a.m. lectures roll around, I tend to still be half-asleep, wishing I could be in bed instead of in class. This was one of the first signs I recognized as burnout. Another was procrastination. One of my goals for this semester was to read all my assigned chapters ahead of time. Although I stayed on track for the first month, once midterms rolled around, I found myself focusing only on the next midterm and putting my other classes on the back burner. As a result, my weekly readings built up, and instead of catching up, I procrastinated because I knew just how far I had fallen behind.
Once I recognized the causes of my burnout, I decided to change my game plan. I enjoy trying different study methods, so I went online to look for new techniques. In addition to this, I have prioritized taking small breaks every hour, even if I don’t really think I need them. Burnout tends to sneak up on me, so taking breaks even if I’m not mentally tired yet gives me a chance to reset. When I take breaks, I like to focus on my hobbies, which include drawing, playing guitar, and exercising. This way, I can enjoy my hobbies without falling behind on my work.
Overall, burnout is something that I find unavoidable. Nevertheless, I’ve used university as an opportunity to manage and overcome it as best I can—by identifying the causes and finding new ways to make studying enjoyable. Trying to deal with my burnout helps me be my best self.