Student Blog: The Cycle of Boredom and Burnout

I'm the type of person that always needs something to do. Whether it's with school, performing, writing, assistant teaching, or really any activity I can get my hands on, I know I'll always make myself busy. However, this leads to something that I as a teenager know very well: burnout. For me, burnout feels like a weight pushing down on my head, making me so unimaginably mentally tired that my eyelids can't help but flutter closed. It's a feeling I dread, because I know it means I have to take a moment away from my activities to breathe and pull myself together.

Dealing with burnout has been a difficult task throughout my life, and it's been consistently frustrating to figure out the best method for me. Since I don't commonly experience this sense of burnout in my busy schedule, the boredom I feel when giving myself a break is so incredibly strong. The best way I've found to cope with this feeling so far is by giving myself little tasks that are calm and creative, but that also keep giving me that sense of accomplishment. For example, I love to paint miniatures because it brings a sense of calm- so, as a little task for myself when I feel bored, I'll make it my goal to finish painting one miniature by the end of the week. This way, I can take a break from tasks that are burning me out without feeling like I'm always combating a sense of boredom.

Another great way I've found to take a rest and beat boredom is socializing. I'm quite extroverted in the way that I feel upset if I'm not making social contact with people I love, and sometimes too much work can take that connection away from me. That's exactly why, when I'm feeling burnt out from that repetitive work, even taking a moment to call my friends or family can get me out of a rut. Whether it's talking through boredom and frustration, exchanging stories about our days, or just telling a joke or two, the people that are close to me certainly help in hyping me back up to be my usual self. I'm incredibly grateful to have this as another option to relieve the feeling of burnout, as being by myself too often is usually part of my exhaustion when burnout occurs.

Burnout is a difficult issue for any college student. Between classes, clubs, and extracurriculars, sometimes all we can think about is taking a break to breathe. And, even though putting work down is a very hard thing for me to do, sometimes it's necessary to ease stress enough to get back to what I love doing. It's incredibly important to listen to your body and mind when you're feeling exhausted and to take a moment if you need it. Even as I finish writing this blog, I'm starting to feel burnt out- but thankfully I'm surrounded by all the tools I could ever ask for to feel like myself again. Happy holidays, and make sure to do something that makes you happy during this break. It's worth it!