Do you ever feel so tired that you want to do absolutely nothing? This feeling you’re having is most likely burnout. I’m currently a junior at Eastern, and ever since my very first semester, I have been highly involved around campus, with things ranging from clubs, orgs, jobs, athletics, and even theater. It was so easy for me to get burnt out with all my involvement and classes and I could not find a good balance between the two. I really was struggling with time management. All I knew is that I loved being involved, but I had to realize soon after that my grades came first.
When I realized what was happening to me. I took steps to help myself get past it.
First, I discovered what I was doing to cause myself stress. I concluded that it was the stress of my overwhelming schedule. It was a challenging thing to change because I loved all my extracurriculars. I realized my schedule had to be changed and adapted for my stress levels to calm down. I also discovered mindfulness meditation. I started to meditate when I felt stressed and overwhelmed. It gave me the opportunity to take a step back and just be with my thoughts and my brain. It was really relaxing and helped me on days I was super burnt out and stressed.
When I was in high school, they did not give us homework, so, I didn’t really know what helped me in terms of studying and getting homework done. It was hard for me to come out of burnout, and it would feel like I am suffocating at some points with all the things I had to do.
Burnout is a feeling that many young adults and teens feel under a lot of pressure. It happens to many college students at different points in the semester. Darling Downs Health defines burnout as “a state of complete mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion.” It can make you feel sluggish and tired. According to HelpGuide.org, there are several types of physical and emotional symptoms when it comes to burnout. Some of these symptoms, include, feeling drained and tired, having a loss of appetite, and being mentally exhausted. When burnout happens, finding motivation to do things can be hard.
Burnout happens when you are doing a lot and do not have the right resources to juggle it. It happens to students at different points in the semester. Toxic relationships, platonic or romantic, can also be a source of burnout. My advice to help with burnout is first to find the cause of these feelings. Then, look at these causes and make a pros and cons list, afterwards, find what is most important to you and your goals. Then, look at your extracurriculars and either cut back or rework them around your schedule. Use two planners, one for assignments and one for involvement. Take time to care for your mind, body, and soul, and do stuff you enjoy for fun. Talk with a therapist or, if you are at Eastern, try Counseling and Psychological Services.