Student Burnout? What’s that? Why Should I care?
Have you ever been in a situation where you’re lying in bed, wondering if you picked the right course, overwhelmed by the amount of workload left to do, and not doing anything about it? You might be experiencing student burnout and you’re not alone.
Burnout is the mixed state of being emotionally exhausted, depersonalization or resenting your peers, and reduced productivity. Experiencing burnout is mainly associated with exhaustion due to stress in the workplace but can manifest in students too. It can seriously affect your life in many different ways. Studies on burnout show that it has a negative impact on productivity and work-life satisfaction. Physically, burnout can cause cardiovascular diseases, sleep disturbances, and increased fatigue. According to a study on burnout, depression, and anxiety, there is a significant association between depression and burnout as well as burnout and anxiety. So, if you think you’re burnt out or have a friend going through burn out what are the signs?
6 Signs of Burnt Out
Student burnout and employee burnout are similar. A few reasons that cause burnout include loneliness due to limited interactions with peers, external dynamics such as family pressure as well as pressure from others, and unrealistic expectations that students set for themselves. They also exhibit similar signs of burnout with employees.
These are the signs of burnout that you should watch out for:
Poor academic performance and productivity
Showing signs of apathy or emotional disconnect from your peers
Weight fluctuations such as weight loss or weight gain
Restlessness causing difficulty sleeping or resting
Increase in alcohol and drug use
Exhaustion, both physically and mentally
Realistic Ways to Deal with Burnout
Now that you understand and know about burnout. You’re probably thinking, coffee cup on one hand, “my life’s too chaotic to stop and just rest”. The most relevant question for students running on 3 hours of sleep and caffeine is, how do I deal with it realistically?
Set realistic goals when studying. You can’t do everything in one sitting. Remember, you’re human and can only do so much in a day.
Take breaks in between studying. Pace yourself and take 5-minute, 10-minute, or even 15-minute breaks when needed to avoid doing too much.
Study and work on projects with peers serious about academics. It promotes discipline within yourself seeing a friend or classmate serious with their work.
Try not to procrastinate. Working on anything last-minute could overwhelm you making you prone to burnout.
Know what your professor wants. Studying all the handouts, books, and materials word for word only fills your brain with unnecessary information. Ask what the professor is looking for and focus on studying on those points.
Sit and think about your “Why”. Why are you studying this course? Why do you stay up late to study and work on your paper? Understanding all the “whys” will help you find that motivation that can get lost with the amount of work you do daily.
Sources:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine. (2022). Dealing with Study Burnout | Office of Academic Support & Counseling | Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Einsteinmed.edu. https://www.einsteinmed.edu/education/student-affairs/academic-support-counseling/medical-school-challenges/study-burnout.aspx
Koutsimani, P., Montgomery, A., & Georganta, K. (2019). The Relationship Between Burnout, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00284
Leah, R. (2022, January 4). College Burnout: Symptoms, Causes, & How to Deal With It. Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/college-burnout/
Norez, D. (2017). Academic Burnout In College Students: The Impact of Personality Characteristics and Academic Term on Burnout. FHSU Scholars Repository. https://scholars.fhsu.edu/theses/502/
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