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Strategies to Avoid Burnout
As we get further into the school year, it is easy to feel stressed and experience burnout. Burnout is, “a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by repeated stress.” You are not alone if you have felt this great stress and do not know how to handle it. There are many ways to stay focused on your studies and possibly avoid burnout altogether. It is also critical to identify signs of an upcoming burnout.
Another contributing factor in burnout is feeling like you do not have enough time to get everything done. This applies drastically when it comes to completing school work. There are many strategies that can help you feel better prepared for your upcoming tests and assignments! One strategy that has had a positive effect is rereading notes throughout your week. This may sound intimidating, but eventually you will get the hang of it. If there are any breaks throughout your day such as eating lunch or when you find yourself scrolling through social media, try pulling out your notes and read them. You do not have to read every slide, a few sentences a day will better prepare you for when you have to study the bulk of the material. Rereading your notes right before you go to bed will also help with memorization and comprehension. Finding different strategies will save you time in the long run and give you more time to relax and stress less. Try some of them out to see what works best for you!
It is important to stay strong and learn from your mistakes, whether it be in your classes or personal life. Having a growth mindset will allow you to process flaws without considering them detrimental to your future. For example: we must be aware that failure is a learning experience and we always have room to improve. Remember to take one day at a time and everything will turn out alright!
Oftentimes we are so wrapped up in our schedule, we forget how important it is to spend time doing things that you enjoy. Giving yourself a break will help you avoid burnout greatly. Getting enough sleep and exercise should also be something that deserves time in your schedule as well. Taking one day out of your week, or a few hours a day will make a difference that will become noticeable after time. Remember your body requires love and that can come from eating healthy foods that give you energy. Eating a balanced diet will encourage you to stay on a healthy track and overall motivates you to complete all the tasks that you have to complete in a day’s time.
Remember not to take on too many responsibilities during your free time as well. It is encouraged and somewhat expected to pack your schedule until you are drowning in things to do. Take a moment to step back and analyze exactly what you have time for throughout your week. There are also plenty of opportunities to do everything that you have in mind. Sometimes, doing things all at once isn’t the best path to take. For example, if there is a sport that you like to play, or a club that you want to join, there are always opportunities. You may be able to work the extra curricular into your schedule.
Many things may lead you to feel burnt out, but only you can recognize those limits. You are never alone. There are many people that are experiencing the same thing, and people who are willing to help. Overall, the most important thing to remember is to be kind to yourself.
This blog post was written for Healthy Young NV by a High Sierra AHEC Student Ambassador.
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