Story by Jordan Reining
Featured Photo by Kailee Shores
Finals start in a few days, but projects and exams have been piling up since before Thanksgiving break.
As the days have gotten colder and darker, you may have noticed your motivation slipping away. The stress from work and school might be overwhelming. Activities and things you once enjoyed might seem pointless.
The likely culprit? Burnout.
HelpGuide.org defines burnout as a state of mental, physical, and/or emotional exhaustion caused by extended stress. It can happen to anyone at any time. The good news is there are plenty of tips and tricks to not only help prevent it but pull you out of it once it starts.
To begin, it’s important to note that some of these might not work for you, and it could take some time to figure out what does.
- Make your daily routine as simple as possible.
Now, this might seem obvious, but there are a ton of things you can simplify to help you when you’re feeling down. Things like setting aside an outfit a night in advance or pre-writing a to-do list can really help when you struggle to motivate yourself.
- Take breaks. Real breaks.
You might be looking at this list thinking all these tips are no-brainers, but taking a break as a college student when you have 20 assignments to do and 5 finals to study for and only two weeks to do it can be difficult. Taking a genuine break away from the computer and notebook allows you to rest your mind and body when it’s already exhausted. This can be hard to do when so much is on your plate; it is often hard to tell your mind to stop thinking about everything you should be doing instead. It’s getting chilly out, but taking a walk and listening to some good music might help your mind cool down when you start getting overwhelmed.
- Eat good food!
Food is fuel. You know this, I know this, everyone knows this. Although the PODs are convenient in a rush or good for a study snack, it is important to nourish your body with protein and veggies from time to time. Without energy, trying to catch up on schoolwork is going to be a thousand times harder. You can cook on your own, or if you’re struggling to convince yourself, you can grab some friends and get a real meal together.
- Talk it out.
If you followed tip #3 and got some food with friends, it could be the perfect time to talk about how you’re feeling. Talking about your struggles with someone, whether it be a friend, professor, or therapist, can help. They might have some tips, or they might confide in you as well. Regardless of who you talk to, sharing your thoughts can take some of the weight off your shoulders.
- Set aside some time for self–care.
In a time of stress, self-care is necessary. Whether it be a face mask and bath, a workout session or doing some journaling, whatever you need to do to feel refreshed can help alleviate the symptoms of burnout.
- Put the phone down.
You’re a college student, you’re going to play on your phone. As fun as it is to scroll through Instagram and TikTok (talking to myself here), it is not going to make you feel better about everything on your to-do list. Yes, take a 5-minute phone break here and there, but try and keep it to a minimum. If you have to delete social media or hand the phone off to a friend so you can have some quality focus, do it.
- Time management!
It’s grind time! It might seem hard, but you can do what you need to do while also taking time for self-care and quality food. To-do lists and daily schedules are great visual aids to show you how much time you have for yourself, but also for your assignments.
- Get enough sleep.
Again, this might seem obvious, but getting a good amount of sleep does wonders for the mind and body. After a long day of class and studying, you might just want to lay in bed and scroll on your phone for some entertainment, but sometimes you have to choose sleep. If you’re anxious and overwhelmed, being well-rested can help the jitters. Not only that, but restit will also strengthen your ability to complete your assignments on time. You can’t study and finish your work if you’re falling asleep in the study room.
Hopefully these tips do something for you. The end of the semester is nearly here. You are so close. If these don’t work for you, there are plenty of options not mentioned that can be beneficial. Burnout can be serious, but it is important to remember that it can be fixed.
Jordan Reining is a writer for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact News Editor Kailee Shores, Assistant News Editor Alyssa Williams and Assistant News Editor Zoe Naylor, email newseditor@mtsusidelines.com.
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