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Is that feeling of being frustrated and drained at uni becoming all too familiar? You’re likely experiencing burnout – identifying this early can prevent it from sabotaging your studies and personal life, so here’s our guide to combating burnout as a student!
What is burnout?
Burnout as a student typically involves feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally drained due to the demands of academic work, extracurricular activities, and personal responsibilities. General signs of burnout usually include an ongoing sense of fatigue, decreased motivation, and a decline in academic performance.
Burnout can stem from several factors such as excessive workload, high expectations, lack of rest, and neglecting self-care. It can manifest as physical symptoms like headaches or insomnia, as well as emotional symptoms like irritability or feeling detached from your studies. Balancing responsibilities, setting realistic goals, and prioritising self-care can help alleviate this and get you back to a happier version of yourself!
How to detect Burnout
Physical Symptoms
Fatigue, headaches, stomach issues, changes in appetite or weight, and difficulty sleeping can all be signs of things getting too much.
Emotional Signs
This can include increased irritability, mood swings, detachment from your studies, persistent sadness or anxiety.
Academic Performance
Noticeable decline in grades, missed assignments, or a lack of interest in learning.
Behavioural Changes
The main signs being decreased motivation, withdrawal from social activities, or neglecting responsibilities.
Cognitive Signs
Difficulty concentrating, memory issues, or feeling overwhelmed by once manageable tasks.
Relationships
If you notice strained relationships with peers, tutors, or family, this could be due to heightened stress levels.
How to deal with Burnout
With the endless opportunities presented to us at uni, It’s easy to become consumed by them and therefore forget to take time for ourselves. Combating burnout will be personal to you as we find solace in different ways, so here are some tips for when you feel like you’ve hit a wall.
Acknowledge your feelings
If you’re ever feeling exhausted, stressed or anxious, the first important step is to check in with yourself and identify why this might be. Using a mood tracker like Moodnotes helps you assess your day-to-day mood and visualise your overall mood patterns. Mood trackers can also offer prompts to take time out of your day for things like mindfulness and meditation, which can make a world of difference when burnout is on the horizon.
Look after yourself
Delegating time to regularly looking after your mind, body and soul can make a significant difference to your well-being, here’s some simple ways you can do this:
- Practice Self-Care: Dedicate time to activities that help you relax and recharge, like exercise, hobbies, meditation, or spending time with friends and family.
- Set Realistic Goals: Break large tasks into smaller, manageable goals. Celebrate achievements along the way, no matter how small.
- Learn to Say No: Ensuring you don't over commit yourself can be crucial when you already have enough on your plate. It's okay to decline additional responsibilities if you're already feeling overwhelmed.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Ensure you're getting enough sleep (7-9 hours is optimal), eating a balanced diet, and staying hydrated – a healthy body contributes to a healthy mind.
- Seek Support: Talk to friends, family, or a counsellor if you're feeling overwhelmed – sometimes, discussing your feelings and opening up can provide relief.
- Change Your Environment: Sometimes a change of scenery can help, consider studying in different locations or refreshing your study space. Spending more time in nature can also reduce stress levels and give your mind a well-needed reset.
- Reflect and Adjust: Periodically evaluate what's working and what's not, and adjust your strategies accordingly to find what works best for you.
Build a routine
- Time Management: Organise your schedule. Set aside specific times for studying, breaks, and free time. Simple steps like making sure you note things down in your calendar can help you visualise your week and ease off that dreaded feeling of being overwhelmed. To keep distractions to a minimum, using apps like Forest will help you stay focused by planting your own virtual tree which grows whilst you stay focused. Forest also works with Trees for the Future to plant real trees on Earth – the perfect incentive!
- Prioritise and Delegate: Identify the most important tasks and work on those first, tools such as The Productivity Method can aid massively in organisation. Learn to delegate or seek help when possible, whether from peers or uni staff.
- Take Breaks: Schedule regular breaks during those long study sessions, short breaks can help recharge your mind and prevent mental exhaustion.
- Reflect and Adjust: Periodically evaluate what's working and what's not – adjust your routine accordingly to find your ideal balance.
Conclusion
Remember, it's essential to listen to your body and mind, if burnout persists despite these efforts, seeking professional help from a doctor or mental health expert is important. Taking care of yourself is crucial for your overall well-being and success as a student, and just remember, the more you take care of yourself, the better you will perform!
Looking for student housing in Glasgow? At Novel’s Bridle Works, you can study and play all under one roof! Whether you need to zone out in a relaxation room or let off some steam with some karaoke, burnout should be the last of your worries!