Bad news. Everyone is feeling burnt out.
It’s a familiar scenario. You’re about two months into the school year, yet you feel like you’ve been running empty for weeks. Classes and assignments are piling up, the demand is starting to overwhelm you, and somehow despite all of your efforts, you can’t shake an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion. Why has burnout set in so soon in the school year?
What is Being Burntout?
Feeling burnt out is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion caused often by prolonged stress. It doesn’t just mean feeling tired at the end of the day – it makes doing even the simplest of activities feel overwhelming.
Burnout can manifest in a multitude of different ways: emotional fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and a lack of motivation. You may feel like you’re constantly running on empty, have no energy to tackle school-work, or even basic self-care.
We’re only a couple of months into school and being tired all the time is starting to become the norm.
The Unexpected Causes of Early Burnout
It is easy to assume that burnout will only strike at the end of the year. Why then do so many people get burnt out so early in the year? There are a few different factors that can account for why burnout happens. By recognizing the signs you can take moves to sit back and relax for a bit; taking the proper steps to manage your stress.
New Routine Shock
At the start of the school year, students filled with energy often bounce head first into schoolwork and the new routine. It’s exciting but can be a lot to handle! Adapting to everything – be it new classes, professors, and even new campuses – can be (and is) exhausting. It takes time to settle in with your mind and body working hard to adapt. That transition period takes a toll even if you don’t feel it initially. Give yourself time to rest and recharge, and make sure you take care of yourself as you tackle schoolwork!
Pressure to Excel
Many students feel pressured to start the year strong, with high grades across the board. I know I definitely did. Having high expectations for yourself is amazing, but the pressure to “get ahead” can quickly pile up. No one is perfect, not your professors, not your classmates, not you, and definitely not me. Constantly striving for perfection can lead to emotional exhaustion, making it harder to maintain energy for the rest of the semester. Remember to pace yourself and take breaks!
Always “Plugged In”
With Social Media, and technology being more interwoven with everyone’s daily lives, people are often always “on”: connected to friends, checking school updates, looking at the news, or mindlessly scrolling on whatever social media app is your favorite (Instagram forever). Even though this constant connection is useful, and almost necessary in today’s day and age, your mind never gets a break from the endless never ending stream of information. Have a break, have a KitKat!
Poor Sleep and Study Habits
I have the most irregular sleep schedule out of anyone that I know. Don’t follow my example. Irregular sleep schedules and inefficient study habits can have a huge impact on energy levels. If you’re trying to keep up with everything while staying up late, you’re only going to suffer more. More lack of sleep = more burnout. Do yourself a favor, and go to bed at reasonable times (unlikely, we go to IE).
Tips and Tricks to Managing Burnout
While burnout might be common, it’s not inevitable. Make sure that you use realistic strategies and goals, to help manage stress and set a consistent good sleep schedule. You want to get at least seven hours. Watch your screen time, and if it’s starting to become unmanageable, make sure you set limits that you can’t break. Remember to take breaks while studying, whether it’s reading, exercising, or just relaxing, a bit of self care never hurts!
While burnout can feel isolating and exhausting, taking early steps against these signs can help you keep your energy up!
Featured Image courtesy of Tommao Wang, Unsplash
