Student Blog: The Cure to Burnout is...

As both a business and theatre student, my life tends to be fast-paced. While I love school, I often find myself craving a nap or just some down time to relax and center myself, but these are luxuries I usually cannot afford. Most of the time, I am hopping between my school’s main campus and the business campus, hoping to make it to either one in time for class or to squeeze in a quick meal. Funny enough, I have found my thirty minute inter-campus shuttle rides to be the most relaxing part of my day - I can kick back, listen to some quiet music, and stare out at Lake Michigan. These shuttle rides test my strength; when someone tries to talk to me, I often have to pretend I’m enjoying the conversation, when in reality, the whole time I’m wishing I could be enjoying the only enrichment time I have all day.

Unfortunately, burnout tends to make life even more difficult that it already is. Personally, burnout always occurs right when I think I’ve avoided it completely. For example, this past semester, I thought I was in the clear- I had made it to mid November with solid grades, had completed a two-week run of a show, and I didn’t have to be at rehearsals for the first time since the semester began. What I didn’t realize was that suddenly having so much free time would send me into a spiral of not knowing what to do with myself. This made me realize how much work I had been doing, thus leading me to not want to do anything besides let things linger, AKA… being burnt out. 

While I wish burnout didn’t exist, I’ve come to terms with its persistence and unfortunate goal of making my life ten times harder than it needs to be. Strangely enough, I think the best way for me to avoid burnout entirely is to stay busy. Although it sounds counterintuitive, when I’m busy with a show or with classes (or most of the time both at the same time) I am insanely locked in to what I’m doing. Even if it’s for months at a time, when I’m busy, I know that I’ll be completing everything I need to finish not because I necessarily want to but because I have to. The moment I find myself having free time, my grasp on studying seems to slip away and I struggle to pull myself together.

Along with staying busy, I find that going to the gym benefits my overall mindset and pushes me to stay motivated. Getting in some sort or exercise is extremely good for my brain and usually makes me want to continue to get work done. Even just a walk along the shore can reset my mind and help me find the motivation that I need to continue pushing through. As with anything, burnout can absolutely be conquered. And, while it depends on the individual, it is crucial to find what your motivation is in order to keep pushing through.

In a time of burnout - or any difficult period - I’m reminded of a saying that was taught to me by someone very close to my heart: "We can do hard things." That’s it. Simple and to the point, yet so deeply poignant. When I need to persevere, I remind myself that I can do anything I put my mind to. It’s so cliche, yet sometimes you really need to let those words sink in. We can do hard things. And, once you’ve fully grasped that, it’s your time to shine.