Preventing Academic Burnout
By Victoria Gonzalez
University students are prone to extended amounts of stress that can result in mental health issues and academic burnout. This particular type of burnout is characterized by feelings of exhaustion, lack of motivation and difficulty beginning or completing tasks. As life on campus settles post-reading week again, it is important to face this issue head-on and work towards its prevention. If you feel drained, overwhelmed or unable to concentrate — here are some tips tailored to the University students’ stressful experience. Prioritizing Sleep: In all honesty, achieving adequate sleep as a University student is difficult. Often one prioritizes studying over a good night's sleep, or due to stress can develop insomnia. One of the best ways to recover from academic burnout is to allow your body to rest, not to mention sleep aids in concentration and academic success!
Maintaining Good Study Habits: As the semester progresses, so can feelings of exhaustion and a lack of motivation. Try to keep in mind the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the semester. Every student is different, but here are some fundamental study habits to take into the second half of this semester: Time management, Setting reasonable goals, Taking breaks often, Creating a study schedule (spacing out tasks). Self-Care: In balancing a substantial range of responsibilities, it is typical for the practice of mindfulness and self-care to diminish. No matter how practicing mindfulness looks for you — whether reading a book, watching a movie or hanging out with family- it is one of the best treatments for academic burnout.
Healthy Eating Habits:
Everyone practices different eating habits, but what I mean by healthy is striving for three large meals a day and consuming most major food groups. Eating well has tremendous benefits in energy levels, mood and keeps you active throughout your busy, stressful day. Seeking Help/Support: Even though mental health issues attributed to stress in University students are highly prominent, it can still be daunting to reach out for help. To lessen this fear, have a conversation with someone that you feel comfortable with. This can be another student facing the same academic pressures or even family members that have gone through similar experiences. As CUE students, we are privileged to access advisors, mental health support and other professionals specially trained at tackling these issues. These outstanding individuals are more than willing to sit down and chat with you, guiding you in the right direction and, most importantly, providing a safe place. As we conquer the second half of the semester, make sure to check in with yourself. Are you getting sufficient sleep and eating three meals a day? Are you practicing mindfulness and reaching out for support when needed? These are all things we know we need but pay little attention to when dealing with extended periods of stress. University course loads, part-time jobs and extra-curricular activities can all play a part in one’s physical and emotional state, but this is your reminder to prioritize things like sleep and self-care. You are not alone!
