Are you feeling mentally drained or emotionally exhausted from schoolwork? Are you losing interest in academics and just want the semester to end? If so, you may be experiencing academic burnout, which is a condition that is treatable with the right steps. Read on to learn what academic burnout is, how it impacts students, and what you can do to combat it.
Academic burnout is a prolonged period of constant stress that leads pupils to complete mental, physical and emotional exhaustion. It typically occurs when school-related tasks take priority over self-care. Burnout is common throughout the school year, but may spike around times of elevated pressure, such as during midterms and finals. The condition might also be caused by outside influences, such as setting unrealistic goals, poor time management and overbearing parents.
The symptoms of burnout include fatigue, low moods, a lack of motivation to attend lectures or complete assignments, and a decline in academic performance. You could start to feel drowned by all of the demands and responsibilities of school and might even consider quitting. The earlier you are able to identify the warning signs of burnout, the easier it will be to handle a stressful situation, such as an impending deadline.
When you’re juggling a full school load, work, extracurriculars and social life, academic burnout can take its toll on your well-being. If left untreated, it may lead to feelings of isolation and low accomplishment as well as depression and anxiety disorders. The condition might also affect students’ interpersonal relationships, sleep patterns, physical activity and nutrition.
Whether you’re just noticing the warning signs or barely hanging on to your grade point average, there are numerous strategies for combatting burnout. Many students opt for the most rigorous academic course load possible in today’s competitive landscape, but try to not bite off more than you can chew. Overestimating just how much you can handle is the quickest way to become overwhelmed. Set reasonable goals to help you chart a practical academic path.
If the onslaught of responsibilities seems never ending, consider using a calendar or planner to keep track of priorities and deadlines. This will also help you avoid procrastination. Set reminders on your phone so you won’t forget assignments. Organize your notes and tasks to help you prepare for exams. Use whatever system works, just be sure to have some sort of structure.
Don’t be afraid to seek help from family, friends, peers and teachers to get you out of the rut. To learn more about burnout symptoms and prevention, see the accompanying infographic.
This infographic was created by The Scholars
Professional Editing Group, a PhD
mentorship group
Author bio: Dr. Tamika Haynes is CEO, operator, and founder of Scholars Professional Editing Group LLC, managing high-level teams while collaborating cross-functionally in the continued pursuit of building a vision for success. As a seasoned mentor, Dr. Haynes understands the inescapable challenges, rigor, and intricacies of the endless cycle of revisions, committee changes, ambiguous feedback, increasing student loan debt, and countless sleepless nights while managing the demands of life, family, and work. Out of the core of her frustrations and challenges, Dr. Haynes birthed a passionate mission to assist and fully equip doctoral candidates with knowledge on how to write a scholarly dissertation and navigate to the finish line successfully.
