Are you burnt out? No need to worry: it happens to the best of us. Here are my top tips for recovering and returning to working at your normal level.
How to recognise burnout?
- Exhaustion: feeling tired, despite sleeping enough, working too hard can take its toll
- Zoning out: concentration slipping is not unusual when your brain is overworked
- Negative Emotions towards Learning: burnout does nothing for academic validation and it is easy to lack motivation to work
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
10 Tips
- Making time for hobbies: whether you are a movie watcher, a crocheter, or a reader, schedule in time for the things that make you happy. Remember you deserve full, well-earned breaks.
- Exercise: moving your body: boosts dopamine, makes you sleep better, and clears your mind. People who exercise regularly report how fulfilling achieving a goal makes them feel; physical activity improves your sense of control, coping ability and self-esteem. So, go for a walk, a run, or a gym session.
- To-do lists: ensure you aren't doing too much. To-do lists help develop time management skills because all of the necessary tasks are laid out beforehand, you do not need to overwork.
- Get organised: a messy room means a messy mind, and having a clean environment can help you think more clearly when trying to work. Organisation prevents you from feeling like you're drowning in homework and revision.
- Quality food: hearty food is good for the soul, eating regularly helps provide your brain with the energy and nutrients it needs.
- Get outside: fresh air can help rejuvenate your energy and ensure you don't stay holed up in your house. Nature refreshes you, decreases anxiety levels and lessens negative feelings.
- Change where you study: a different room can mean a different mindset, and the change of scenery can help you refocus on your goals. For example, I cannot study in my bedroom because it disrupts my sleep schedule, a setting can affect your productivity; study where there are fewer distractions.
- Take breaks when studying: believe it or not, A+ students don't spend 24 hours a day revising, so there is no point in you doing that either. Taking regular breaks helps you absorb information more effectively.
- Positive Self-Affirmation: encourage and remind yourself that you're capable of doing anything you set your mind to. Self-doubt is common in burnout and I know it is hard to maintain faith in yourself; constant positive affirmations prevent a loss of confidence.
- Speak to someone: talking out your stress with a trusted adult or friend can help relieve anxiety because ‘ a problem shared is a problem halved.’
“Asking for help isn't giving up, it's refusing to give up” *
*Quoted from the short story The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
A Reminder
You are smart and you can do this. The world hasn't ended just because you're burnt out. Speaking from personal experience, I think it's far too easy to forget your ability and disregard previous achievements, losing sight of long-term goals.
But you can't do that if you're working to exhaustion every day. It may not even feel like you're doing too much but sometimes putting in 80% instead of 100% can help your burnout. I hope these tips help you reach the end of your burnout quicker, remember that no burnout lasts forever!
