As we near midterms, maybe you, like me, are feeling a little crispier than earlier in the semester. While burnout is often associated with professionals in careers, academic burnout is a rising risk among high school and college students. During a period of heightened tension at the local and national levels, you might be feeling like you have less capacity than ever to focus on school work.
What Does Burnout Look Like?
Burnout is characterized by a general negative emotional, physical, and mental response. Common signs of burnout include:
- Fatigue
- Lack of motivation to attend classes or complete assignments
- Heightened irritability or frustration
- Muscle tension
- Difficulties concentrating
Burnout can have significant effects on academic performance and overall wellbeing. The solution to burnout is not to push harder. Noticing feelings of burnout early is key to limiting its negative effects. If you’re noticing any of the above signs, it’s a good time to create a robust self care action plan.
We Talk About Self Care, But What Does That Mean?
Self care is a term thrown around and often simplified into bubble baths and yoga. Yoga is great if yoga helps you feel good. But self care practices include different things depending on your needs before and during the time of heightened stress. If you’re noticing signs of acute stress, take time to ground yourself using your six senses: movement, sight, smell, touch, sound, taste.
Public Health experts recognize eight unique dimensions of wellness:
- Emotional
- Physical
- Spiritual
- Social
- Intellectual
- Environmental
- Occupational
- Financial
Self care can be proactive: things you do regularly so you are less likely to experience burnout; or reactive: things you do in response to feelings of increased stress and tension.
Let’s create a self care action plan together. An action plan allows you to recognize activities you already do, and brainstorm activities you can use in the future. You can create your own document, or download the worksheet seen here:
Let’s brainstorm a few examples for each of the wellness dimensions.
Emotional Wellness
These actions help us acknowledge and remain aware of our feelings and reactions to events. Examples might include:
- Quiet reflection—either through meditation, journaling, or another form
- Laughter—studies indicate that laughter (even fake laughter!) can help lift your mood.
- Talk to a friend
Physical Wellness
These actions focus on making sure our bodies have the resources necessary for us to move and do our daily activities with ease. Examples might include:
- Take time to move your body. Go for a walk (the Butler Center has a walking track for those extra cold or rainy days!), dance with your friends, take a bike ride
- Create a sleep routine that helps you wind down. Burnout can impact your sleep. Developing a routine can help your body relax and make it easier to fall asleep.
- Eat a variety of foods that you enjoy and make you feel good. Utilize the campus food bank.
Spiritual Wellness
These actions help us find meaning and purpose. Examples might include:
- Explore other cultures and faith traditions.
- Practice meditation or mindfulness.
- Connect with a religious community that shares your values. The Center for Spirituality and Social Justice is a great resource.
Social Wellness
These actions help us stay connected to our community. Remaining engaged with people who care for us is key to keeping burnout at bay. Examples might include:
- Volunteer
- Join a club or campus organization
- Create a weekly get-together with friends (in person or over video chat!)
Intellectual Wellness
You’re never too old to learn something new! These actions encourage us to stay curious about the world. Examples might include:
- Read a book for fun
- Explore a new hobby (joining a student organization can be a great way to try something new and meet people at the same time!)
- Take a class outside your major
Environmental Wellness
These actions remind us of the relationship between ourselves and the natural world. Examples might include:
- Spend time outside
- Pick up trash
- Use reusable shopping bags
Occupational Wellness
Nurturing occupational wellness isn’t only for when you have graduated! These actions recognize the importance of finding meaning and satisfaction in the work you do in and out of the classroom. Some examples include:
- Explore internship and volunteer opportunities
- Reflect on where you find meaning in your life
- Explore KatieCareer Virtual Center
- Make an appointment with a Career Coach
Financial Wellness
It might not seem glamorous, but taking time to care for your financial wellness can decrease your stress levels. These actions focus on making sure you have money to support yourself. Examples include:
- Make a list when you go shopping
- Create long-term and short-term savings goals
- Visit the Money Management Center for events or to make an appointment with a peer money mentor!
Stress can come from multiple sources. It’s important to care for multiple facets of our wellbeing consistently so stress doesn’t turn into burnout.
