Written by Ruth Moon Lopez
As you work your way towards the end of an academic year, you are probably relieved that summer break is approaching and you can get some well deserved rest. With pressuring deadlines, that part-time job you’ve been running, and those extra curricular activities all amidst a pandemic, the academic experience has undoubtedly taken a toll on this generation of students like no other. To help relieve the effects of these tolls we refer to as “burnout” and possibly even prevent them from happening in the first place, we have gathered some great strategies that you might find useful not just during your academic years but those beyond as well.
First off, what is burnout? The term can be defined as when an individual experiences extreme exhaustion due to an overwhelming amount of quite literally anything: promises, deadlines, work, and/or other co-curricular activities. This mixture of fatigue and sense of pressure then results in a decline in the quality of that individual’s performance of those given tasks. From the definition alone, it is blatant that this is something any student could face at a certain point during their academic journey. Even after excluding non-academic activities, the school work alone can be very overwhelming for many students in most cases, especially with university or college workload.
So, how can we prevent burnout from happening in the first place? You have probably heard cliche phrases from teachers, professors, and other academic advisors to be ambitious and to take up new challenges, especially in university or college. While this is of course encouraged, it is also important to learn how to say no sometimes. Let’s say you are a full-time student juggling five courses, extracurricular activities, an internship or job, and of course your regular life outside the walls of instructions. This example might even be applicable to you, who is reading this article right now. Now let’s say you were asked by a friend, teacher, or a fellow employee to complete a favour for them amongst your already hectic schedule. While your kind-hearted side might want to say yes, agreeing to their requests not only gives you more burnout, but what you give back as a result would not be as high in quality compared to your performance if you were not under so much stress. Like the saying goes, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Always strive to push yourself but remember to set boundaries to prevent yourself and others from overworking you.
Another important tip to keep in mind is to see what adjustments you can make within the situations you are already facing. See what and where you can compromise and set reasonable goals. Ask yourself what you can accomplish now and what you can save for later.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Especially to those introverts out there, including myself as well, it is completely understandable that being the first to reach out might feel nerve wracking and just the thought of feeling as if you are asking a dumb question emabrasses you. However, if you are beginning to feel those symptoms of burnout and are barely keeping your head above water, I guarantee you it is 100% better to take that initiative to send that email or make that phone call to seek support rather than continue to deteriorate in the dilemmas you are stuck in. Whoever that may be, your family, friends, or the services provided at your school, resources are there for you to use, so don’t hesitate.
As another academic year comes to an end, a healthy reminder that your physical well being, not just as a student but as a regular human being, comes first before anything else. Good grades and accomplishments cannot be achieved without a strong mental, physical and emotional state. Let’s all support one another in order to continually decrease levels of burnout among our generation and the generations to come, as this will not only improve our academic experience but our overall health as well.
Comments