☄study burnout: what is it & how to deal with it

.・。.・゜w e l c o m e t o m y b l o g !・゜・。.

02.02.20 // blog 01

ello! it's winnie here, and im back with another studying blog. today, we are going to take a look at a critical condition that might be a lot more common than you think, burnout of studying.

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〘 000 : introduction 〙

we all know how overwhelming school can get sometimes and as a student, regular studying and staying on top of your workload is a vital. yet it is possible to be studying too much! feeling stuck in a learning rut is inevitable, regardless of how much you enjoy studying. thus, you might be familiar with burnout-- a state of physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. if left unaddressed, it can spiral out control and can be detrimental to your academic performance and personal life.

:question: did you know?

according to a 2013 study analyzing over 30 000 Canadian university students, roughly 90% of students reported feeling overwhelmed by everything they had to do within the last year, with over 50% citing hopelessness and 63% citing loneliness as common emotions they have felt during their academic studies.

〘 001 : identifying study burnout 〙

when you feel overworked and stressed for a long period of time, you may feel physically and mentally drained. this is study burnout, and it's the last thing you want when starting a new academic year. keep in mind that study burnout shouldn't be interpreted as a positive sign of 'working hard'. a real sign of study success should be getting to the end of revision feeling healthy and energized. this is why it's so important to maintain a balance, reasonable routine as well balancing between work and life.

study burnout is characterized by a wide range of signs/symptoms. some of them include:

〘 002 : stress vs burnout 〙

knowing the difference between stress and burnout is critical in order to manage each one effectively.

burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress, but it isn’t the same as too much stress. stress, by and large, involves too much: too many pressures that demand too much of you physically and mentally.

〘 003 : how to avoid going under & bounce back from it 〙

there are only 24 hours in a day, and you can only do so much within that time. don't bite off more than you can chew, accept that you have limitations, and that pushing yourself to the limit can make you sick and keep you from accomplishing all your tasks. when you set unrealistic targets for yourself and end up failing them, you get demotivated. if you’ve got too many tasks on your hands, set realistic goals you can accomplish each day and don't forget to take rest into consideration.

you have higher chances of disappointment if you study without a plan. you don’t know how much is remaining, how much should you study every day and how long would it take for you to complete the syllabus. have a planner with you, and schedule your daily and weekly activities. this will enable you to see how much work you have accepted to do and gauge if you can accept more responsibilities or not. It also prevents you from procrastinating. you should also set a certain period of time to prepare for your tests.

take a step back and reflect on what you’ve done right, and what you can do to improve, before moving forward with an action plan. learning from your mistakes is part of the learning process, so don’t be afraid to acknowledge your shortcomings and work towards improving yourself. positive self-talk can also be done to avoid burnout.

unlike a computer, your brain cannot store information at the same rate for continued periods of time. it needs short breaks to process everything and then get ready to take some more. according to science, scheduling breaks can not only help you avoid a burnout, but it can also replenish our energy, improve self-control as well as decision-making and fuel productivity. what you need to make sure is that you don’t extend your break and start procrastinating. thus, remind yourself to use the breaks wisely! moreover, instead of staying cooped up in your room studying, it’s important to carve some time out of your busy schedule to do the things you enjoy, such as blogging, reading or playing the guitar.

the human body is just like any other machinery that thrives when you take care of it. providing it with good nutrition, sleep, and workout are some of the most crucial tasks to do every day. thus, to get sufficient amount of sleep, eat healthy food and make sure to not push yourself too hard! if you don’t give your body what it needs to function properly, you cannot expect results.

burnout can cause you to slip into a cycle of negative thinking. this negative thinking often worsens over time. you can combat this by starting small. try thinking of something positive before you get out of bed each morning. or, at the end of the day, think back to one of the greatest things that you've done today. you deserve to celebrate even the smallest accomplishments. these celebrations can help you rediscover joy and meaning in your study again. you can also bring more positivity into your life by practicing random acts of kindness.

students who suffer from study burnout tend to feel alone and isolated. socializing with friends and family is a good way to overcome burnout. this is a good opportunity to share your worries and joys with them. your family and friends will be very happy to listen and help you out. having someone to listen to your stress and worries can lessen the burdens you're carrying and give you the peace of mind.

the constant presence of social media and the internet updates in our life can add to a sense of overstimulation that can overwhelm us. it’s important to take a break from school life, and that doesn’t just mean putting the books aside for a day off from studies, disconnecting from social media is recommended for students. improper use of social media can take away much of your precious time that, instead, you could be using to accomplish your school tasks. at least one hour before going to sleep, try to shut off your mobile devices and social media.

〘 004 : conclusion 〙

all in all, burnout is nothing to be taken lightly, but the earlier you address it, the easier it is to overcome. i hope you learned a thing or two about it and if you think you or a friend are exhibiting symptoms of burnout, do not hesitate to reach out for a helping hand, or to lend an ear in their time of need. after all, it can strike anyone at any time of their life. i would also like to remind that school isn't everything, bad grades doesn't mean your life is over. always to maintain a healthy work-life balance and know when to turn the switch off button. that's it from me today, happy healthy studying! until next time ♡

#studythis

.・。.・゜t h a n k y o u ! ・゜・。.