The feeling of burnout is very common for college students to experience, especially during the spring semester. Burn out is to become exhausted especially from overwork or overuse. Some symptoms of burnout include: Fatigue, insomnia, excessive stress, lower immune system, and etc.I am currently experiencing it myself, having to deal with school, work, working out, and clubs can get a bit overwhelming. If you are experiencing any of these do not worry, take the time to acknowledge you have burned out and take the necessary steps to get back on the right track. Here are some things that help me overcome burnout:
Acknowledge what you are feeling and ask for help.
It is important to acknowledge the fact that you have burned out and to ask for help. To understand and accept that you are not performing at your full potential because you have burned out is the first step necessary to make the necessary change. Once you’ve accepted that you are not okay, ask for some support on assignments/work that you have been struggling with.
Set time for yourself.
Make some time to do something that makes you happy everyday. Whether that be working out, drawing, reading, or etc. do something that brings you joy and that you look forward to. For myself, I do my best to prioritize working out at least once a day to allow myself to relieve stress and feel better about myself. I always find myself feeling much better and having a clearer mind to be able to work more effectively.
Make a daily list of what needs to be done
Time management is crucial to overcoming burnout. With burnout, it is common to procrastinate deadlines because of the inability to focus. One thing that has helped me continue get my work done while experiencing burnout is making a daily list of what needs to be done before I can go to bed. In that list, I prioritize what needs to be done first and to help myself prioritize I look at everything I have to do and place the most difficult tasks at the top of my list. This allows me to finish what will most likely take me longest earlier in the day and save the “easier” tasks for the end of the day which is when I have the least amount of energy left.
Reward yourself with a self care day.
Give yourself a break and reward yourself with a day focused around making yourself feel better. Participate in a workout class, get your nails done, get a haircut, or simply watch Netflix at home. Be kind to yourself and give yourself some grace. You are doing the best you can.
Take care of yourself.
In order for you to be able to perform at the highest level you need to be taking care of yourself to be able to do so. If you take care of yourself, your body will also in turn take care of you. Some ways to take care of yourself are:
Prioritize your sleep, do your best to get 6-8 hours of sleep daily.
Drink plenty of water.
Move your body and get your daily steps in.
Feed your body with the micro and macro nutrients it needs.