It’s been over a year since the pandemic took over our lives. Most of us are still stuck in the vicinity of our homes, attending online classes, finishing up assignments, working jobs, or interning and pretending that everything is alright. Unfortunately, all of this can catch up to us and affect our mental and emotional well-being adversely. I’m sure that I’m not alone when I say that I’ve felt stressed and burnt out at some point or the other during the past year. Maybe you’re even feeling stressed right now. Whether it’s academic pressure or simply lacking the motivation, here are a few steps you may want to work through to make it a little easier for yourself.
- Evaluating the root cause
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Before any of us can try to help ourselves, we need to evaluate what has been making us feel this way. For many college students, it’s primarily academic stress and the change in environment (due to the pandemic) which makes it hard to feel motivated. Take some time out from your busy schedule to sit and gather your thoughts, and process why you are feeling the way you are.
- Take a break
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This step might seem impossible given the amount of workload you have, but you need to remember that it’s just going to be harder for you to keep up if you keep pushing yourself to a breaking point. Taking a break, even if it’s just for a day, will help you organize and gather your thoughts while taking a little breather. It is definitely easier said than done, but giving yourself a well-deserved break might just be the thing you need to get back on track. Utilize this break to do things you like, get some time away from your laptop and phone, spend time with your family and friends, read a book, or just catch up on all the sleep you’ve been missing!
- Finding the right balance
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The next thing you need to do is set aside a time during the day when you want to study and work. Following this will help reduce your stress and compartmentalize tasks better. When there’s no set time or schedule where you work, the thought of getting work done will always linger at the back of your mind. Following a routine will help you maintain a distinction between your work and the rest of your life. You may want to allot 3 or 4 hours of your day to study. But, make sure you also allot a certain amount of time to indulge in activities that you enjoy and give you a boost!
- Don’t be so hard on yourself
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I cannot emphasize enough that we’re all living through very hard times; it’s something that has affected the entire world! You shouldn’t expect yourself to operate at an optimal level. The pandemic has affected the mental well-being of countless students all around the world. It’s times like these that should help us understand that grades aren’t everything. This isn’t to say that they aren’t important, but we should always put our health first. While keeping expectations is completely fine, don’t be mad at yourself if you miss a few deadlines. It happens and it’s okay! Putting unrealistic expectations on yourself is only bound to cause more stress and eventually burn out.
- Get the help you want or need
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While all these steps may help reduce the burden, it can be quite hard to realistically implement them or even find the motivation to make it work. Seeking professional help can be of major help regardless of whether you have reached your burnout stage or not; there is nothing wrong with asking for help even if you are just feeling a little low. We get regular checkups for our body, and we should be doing the same for our mind. Reach out to your college counsellors, peer counsellors, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists to get the help you want or need.
Feeling stressed and burnt out during unpredictable times is very common and you aren’t alone. Reach out to your friends and family and ask them how they’re doing too. Don’t be hard on yourself and know that it’s okay to want to take a break and have some fun. We’re all in this together and we’ll get through it together too!