You are not alone: here are some ways to prevent burnout
This is the Our View, prepared by the Editorial Board and should be considered the institutional voice of The Record.
It is that time in the semester when assignments start to get turned in a couple hours or even days past the due date.
Burnout is a common experience especially among college students, and as an Editorial Board full of seniors who have had experience with it, burnout can negatively impact your academic performances and overall work-life balance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) lists burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” in its International Classification of Diseases. This doesn’t mean it is considered a medical condition, but WHO recognizes that it can definitely influence your health and potentially have you reaching out to health services because of it.
**Symptoms**
We are not here to diagnose, but here are some symptoms that may indicate that you are experiencing burnout as outlined by the American Institute of Stress: exhaustion, less enthusiasm about school, increased irritability and increased anxiety are all indicators that point to the possibility of burnout.
**Actions you can take to avoid burnout**
Stay engaged. Take an elective class. We know from experience it can be boring taking classes within your major, and it is refreshing to take humanities classes if you’re a STEM major or vice versa. That is one of the great things about attending a liberal arts college where you are able to get that opportunity to take an art class, or a history or nutrition class.
Staying engaged can also take form in getting involved or joining a group or club. (Wink wink join The Record wink wink.) There are several different groups, clubs and intermural sports available on campus for everyone. If not, you can even start your very own. Joining some sort of extracurricular activity is a great way to get involved on campus and meet new people.
Learn how to say no. Although it is important to get involved on campus, sometimes especially as underclassmen, we feel pressured to always say yes and join so many clubs and to do so many volunteer hours. Now, this doesn’t mean skipping out on doing assignments or skipping class, but instead it means managing your time wisely and prioritizing things that are most important. Instead of joining so many clubs or extracurricular activities, join one or two.
Going hand-in-hand with saying no to things, learning how to prioritize and manage time better is another great way to avoid burnout. Getting enough sleep, exercising and asking for help are all great ways to limit the effects of burnout.
Asking for help can come in many different forms. The first is talking to your professors. CSB and SJU have many amazing professors who truly want the best for students. Providing them context about what is going on in your life may help ease your workload, and they could help you make a more manageable schedule.
Talk to other mentors, club leaders or bosses. If there are activities or jobs that could be flexible in hours, talk to these leaders and see if there is a way you can limit those hours to focus on academics or other areas where you are experiencing burnout. You’ll likely find that most people are more empathetic and understanding than you may think.
Lastly, take advantage of the resources our schools have to offer. Health services at both campuses have Walk-in Wednesdays, which is in-person counseling every Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. in Lottie Hall LL 010 at CSB and Mary Hall 001.
**You are not alone**
Most importantly, it’s OK to take time for yourself. Sometimes all the energy you have only enables you to complete one of your tasks, and that doesn’t make you a failure. We all have different forms of energy at different times in our lives. Just because you feel like you’re falling behind while everyone around you seems to be doing alright doesn’t mean that you are any less valuable and loved. All that we ask is that you do your best. You are right where you need to be.