Being a college student comes with two aspects: the college part and the student part. What I mean by this is that “college” is a word that has become so glamorized. When outsiders think of college, they think of laughing with a big group of friends on the lawn, having all the freedom in the world and minimal responsibilities. But then, there’s the student part, which means managing your time between schoolwork, socializing, and clubs, endless hours spent cramming in the library, and not wanting to get up for your early classes. As a college student, you have so many responsibilities that you might start to experience what is called “burnout.”
Since high school, I’ve been all too familiar with burnout, and you might be as well. However, suppose this is a new term for you. In that case, the Cambridge Dictionary describes the phenomenon as “extreme tiredness or mental or physical illness caused by working too hard or trying to do too much.”
For some people, college is their first time experiencing burnout. It can be overwhelming, and feel like the end of the world a lot of the time. But speaking from experience, there are so many ways to avoid burnout, and in this article, I’m going to give you my tips to do so!
- Make to-do lists
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For the longest time, I did not keep an agenda of any sort and simply relied on my Google Classroom or Canvas to-do lists. This led me to fall behind or lose track of things, and I was always insanely overwhelmed. Once I began writing down everything that I needed to do in a notebook with checkboxes next to each item, I felt way more at ease. Having a physical list gave me a sense of control and closure — once something was written down, my brain could let go of the pressure to remember it all. Anything can work for this! Whether you use a physical notebook or agenda, finding a way to externalize your tasks will help clear your mental clutter, keep you organized, and make even the busiest days feel more manageable.
- Set goals for yourself
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I used to aim to cram everything I needed to do into a day, which made me so stressed all the time. That was because, in the back of my mind, I constantly had worries that I wouldn’t be able to do it all. The key to this is something I learned in health class during my first semester: SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Relevant, and Time-Bound). For example, instead of saying, “I need to study more,” you can set a SMART goal like this: “I will review my lecture notes for 30 minutes every weekday at 5 PM and complete at least one practice problem set for my math class by Friday.” This goal is specific (reviewing notes and completing practice problems), measurable (30 minutes per day, one problem set per week), accurate (realistic based on your schedule), relevant (helps with academic success), and time-bound (has a clear deadline). Setting these goals will ease your mind, because it will give you even more of a sense of control, helping you break your tasks up into smaller increments.
- spend time with your friends
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This can be a more difficult thing to do when you are so busy, but it’s one of the most important. It’s easier than you think it is — I’ve found that my worst days in college have been the days that I don’t interact with any of my friends. My best days are the ones in which I spend at least 30 minutes with my friends. (This timeframe is usually much more for me, but on my busy days, it’s very limited!) This allocated time can be as simple as a lunch get-together or even a phone call with someone you care about. Scientific research backs this up — a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that students experienced greater happiness and feelings of belonging on days when they interacted with more classmates than usual. This suggests that even brief social interactions can positively impact well-being!
- work out
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Working out might seem like an “easier said than done” situation, but it really isn’t! Working out can look different for everyone. As someone who goes to the gym consistently, my routine is obviously much more intense than that of someone who goes occasionally, or not at all. However, it has been well-proven that even a 30-minute walk can boost serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a big role in all of your feel-good emotions. Working out doesn’t have to be daunting — in fact, it shouldn’t be! You shouldn’t be overworking yourself. Take at least 30 minutes out of your day to engage in physical activity that feels good for you. Once you’re finished, you’ll feel better about yourself, and more productive than ever!
- Eat full meals
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Students often underestimate the impact of eating full, nutrient-dense meals. Instead, I’ve seen many of my peers opt for an energy drink or coffee for breakfast (or nothing at all!) and then go for unhealthy foods for lunch and dinner. Lack of nutrients might be a big factor as to why you might not feel as motivated to do everything you need to do. For the longest time, I would just have a small granola bar with some form of caffeine for breakfast, but that would only keep me full for about two hours. After that, I’d be tired, lightheaded, and moody. When I started eating three full meals a day, with every component (carbs, protein, fats, etc.), I felt so much more energized. I began to want to do work. I wasn’t constantly distracted or debating whether I should grab a snack before starting an assignment. Taking the time to eat real meals made my days feel smoother and more productive. Food is about fueling everything you do.
- Get enough sleep
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Another thing students typically underestimate is the benefits of a good night’s sleep. It’s common knowledge that eight to nine hours of sleep a night is satisfactory, but for some reason, most people don’t adhere to that, especially college students. This is your sign to start taking sleeping seriously. That means beginning to wind down an hour before bed — no electronics, no food, no caffeine. Just relaxation. The days that I am the groggiest and the most stressed are the days that I get less sleep than I should, making even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming. My motivation drops, I struggle to focus, and everything just feels harder than it needs to be. On the other hand, when I make sleep a priority, I wake up feeling more in control of my day. It’s easier to stay productive, manage stress, and actually enjoy what I’m doing.
- Take time for yourself
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All of these tips to reduce burnout, but what does it all come down to? You. You are in control of everything you do, so it’s important to take time for yourself and reset your mind. Whether this is a quick nap or a brain-stimulating activity like coloring, journaling, or meditation, you need to find time away from all of your stressors. Every weekend, I have a self-care night where I put on my favorite music, take an “everything shower,” put on a face mask, do my nails, and simply enjoy my alone time. This works for me because it’s almost like a ‘reboot’ button so that I can begin the upcoming week. Your time to yourself doesn’t have to be this elaborate; find something that works for you!
It’s easy to get burnt out, especially at such a turbulent transition phase like college, but it’s actually even easier to avoid it. If you’re suffering from burnout right now, this list might have felt a little bit overwhelming to read, but all of these methods have one thing in common: They’re all about time management. Burnout is something almost every college student will experience at some point, but it doesn’t have to define your time in school. By prioritizing time management, self-care, and balance, you can prevent burnout before it takes over.
Allocating time to each of these things every day will help ease your mind, and eventually make your everyday tasks a lot simpler. Sometimes, you just need to take a step back and reevaluate to get back into the swing of things. But from my experience with more severe burnout cases, taking these measures has helped me feel much more fulfilled.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start small. Pick one or two of these tips to implement in your routine, and build from there. Finding what works for you is key, and no one’s approach to managing stress will look exactly the same. The important thing is that you listen to yourself; your mind and body will always tell you when they need a break. College is a time of growth and discovery, and learning how to take care of yourself now will benefit you long after you graduate!