Tips to not totally burnout from the get-go
The start of the school year can make you feel inclined to hit the ground running. However, wanting to do it all over a short period of time can quickly lead to burnout.
But much like literal running, you need to take a breather and walk. If you don’t walk, you’ll physically exhaust yourself.
As someone who has suffered from burnout more times than I’d like to disclose, I have found some ways not to immediately get to that point over the last two semesters.
One year, it got so bad in the fall semester that a friend of mine bluntly told me that I was destroying myself with all of my commitments and that I needed to sort myself out. He did make me cry, but it was the wake-up call I needed. My five classes, co-op applications, 5 a.m. volunteering, and part-time job had burnt me out. I was like a lighter clean out of fuel.
Last year was an entirely different story. There were times I felt burnt out, but I found ways to manage it, especially during the first month of school. So, in honour of school starting, here are my tried and true methods to not burn out within the first month.
First, have goals planned out for the school year, specifically goals you can track so you can see the progress. The best way to do this is to list them all at the beginning of the month and check in periodically. Once listed, dissect them into more achievable goals and identify your priorities. This way, you can see the smaller goals being achieved.
Remember that big goals can be daunting to begin with, and it is present-you that is in charge of how they’re constructed. You can always adjust them as time goes by.
Small, daily goals are also a win. These can be something as simple as fixing your bed in the morning, or laying your clothes out for the next day. After a while, this will become a habit and take a load off of your mind as it cleans up the clutter of small things.
Keep in mind that sometimes situations are out of your control,, but there is a difference between that and not taking accountability for your actions or productivity. It’s easy to lie to yourself, but you’re the only person who can get you out of a rut. You will have a lot on your plate, but this doesn’t mean all your goals aren’t important — just rearrange your priorities.
Try making small vision boards so that you can get inspired about the semester and create goals along with that. Your mentality is key here; switch it so that you have an ideal version of yourself in mind and adjust as needed. Allocate your time accordingly with your courses, involvement, and extracurricular activities, and time-block a calendar so you can visualize your time.
Finally, learn to say no to plans. Sometimes, you need to cancel in order to make time for other plans that are more of a priority for you. Or, try integrating social activities with your goals, like studying over coffee with a friend or going to the gym with your SO. The people who love and care about you will understand that sometimes you need to move things around.
You’ve got this!
