Student Blog: Dealing with Burnout

Sometimes during certain parts of the day, I have this random burst of motivation that comes into my head. Suddenly I am preparing myself for upcoming classes, projects, cleaning my room,etc. However, it can all wind down fast and I’ll just have moments of burnout. We all experience them and while I do wish I wouldn’t feel burnout all the time, you just have to push through it.

I’ve mentioned it already, but a small burnout from me can happen during the decision to clean my room. I’ve watched my chaotic room get worse over the summer and finally, I decided to take some action. The action was of course small…rearranging my drawers and getting rid of old clothes. After that, I no longer want to have more space in my room or dust off a shelf. I see this as a moment to just breathe and start small. Start with a corner of the room and if you feel tired of it, you don’t have to finish the whole area just yet. 

That’s something so simple, but it’s not usually the same for schoolwork. This is where a burnout can easily stress me out, and overwhelm me because I always want to work hard and do my best. These strings of exhaustion for me can come up at the worst times. And I’m sure it’s the same for most of you. Towards finals week. I build up all of this nonstop work (with of course me time in between), but after homework and rehearsals pile on, my brain can’t help but go into vacation mode. Obviously, this is not the time to just give up or say, “Oh I’ll get back to it next week!” There are deadlines and expectations to be met. So here’s what I do. If you’ve read one of my articles where I talk about time management, I mention making a schedule. This is kind of like “getting to it later” or sectioning out parts of work to be done. I have felt less stressed and even more motivated because I know the loss of energy can’t happen anymore. A couple things I’ve read that have also worked for me is a relaxing activity alone or with friends and also (and this is extremely important) GET SOME SLEEP! A relaxing activity can keep your mind off of burnout and let you have a chill time. Sleep though is my favorite pastime. I am a night owl, but getting a good amount of sleep can actually help reduce stress and you will feel more awake to do your work!

Burnouts are annoying, I know, but they are only natural. We all get them, but with a little help from yourself and possibly others you can feel less overwhelmed and ready to take on any challenge!