You wake up tired and go to bed tired. What could possibly be making you feel this way? College burnout can typically happen when everything feels like it’s all happening at once, with no time in between. Dealing with these emotions can be difficult to live to your fullest potential in college. Here are some aspects of burnout that you should pay attention to.
Signs of Burnout
Without realizing, you’re picking up unwanted patterns in your daily routine. A common feeling when experiencing burnout is emotional dissociation. Not caring about things you usually would, negatively acting on emotion, lack of motivation or high amounts of stress but not doing anything about it, are all indications of being worn out. Stressing about what you should and could be doing while choosing not to can hold a lot of weight on your chest. All of these aspects are simply the mindset you have going into every day.
What Makes this Burnout so Easy?
As college students, we can feel overwhelmed with many different things all at the same time. First, the workload can easily pile up if you’re not staying on top of it. For some, it’s easier to balance everything compared to others. Second, the commitment you make to a chosen sport, club, sorority/frat, or social event can tighten your schedule including mandatory events that might not be ideal for you. Third, not keeping up with healthy habits can negatively impact how you feel overall. With a busy schedule, it can be difficult to fit in sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and downtime.
Physical & Mental Side Effects
Emotions are high in times of burnout, which could lead to many things. Failing to pay attention in class due to a lack of sleep or a wandering mind can take away from your performance. Getting less sleep or unhealthy eating habits can lead to headaches and stomachaches, easy irritation, or fatigue. All of these things tie into each other which can cause anxiety and feeling emotionally drained.
Ways to Avoid Side Effects
Talking to your friends, family, or advisors allows you to feel less alone in a tough situation. It may not seem like it in the moment, but explaining your situation could help figure out a better solution in the future. Next, improving habits of sleep will increase your energy level, mindset, physical condition, and much more. Cutting down on screen time before bed can be extremely beneficial as well. Another way is to find a method of stress-relief. This could be journaling, listening to music, yoga, breathing patterns, or whatever you feel works best for you. Set a goal for yourself. Even though at times reaching goals can be challenging, you have to appreciate the work being put into it.
Overall, college burnout is no joke. Though easier said than done, the key aspect is balancing it all. Between assignments, social life, and health, feeling stressed is inevitable. The important part of this process is realizing when you’re burnt out, and being able to make a quick change in routine. These years of college are supposed to be hard and challenging while teaching you life skills for the future. So at the end of the day, it’s not always about success, it’s how you get there.