How to Recover from Academic Burnout

Undergraduates live hectic lives. The school environment is teeming with natural and artificial stressors. As work piles up, students slip into an uncontrollable cycle of weariness that affects their physical, mental, and emotional state.

Academic burnout manifests in different forms. It includes feeling detached, less motivated to study, or being irritable. Depending on the degree, undergraduates feel incapable of studying well or achieving their desired results, and their grades begin to slip.

Burnout does not happen overnight. Instead, it accumulates over a period. In this article, we will explore what causes academic burnout and suggest tips to prevent and recuperate from it.

Causes and Symptoms of Academic Burnout

Several factors contribute to study burnout. But in the end, it comes down to long-term tension and pressure related to academic activities. One of the reasons why it is hard to pin the cause on a single factor is that it varies from one person to another. The most popular ones include:

Poor time management and inability to delegate tasks

Students who struggle to manage their schedules will always fall behind in their studies. To compensate for the delay, they buck up, leading to increased pressure. In school, time is a crucial commodity. Hence, you prioritize any activity that helps you save or redeem time. Most undergraduates don’t know how to delegate or set priorities.

Let us assume there are two essay homework assignments that must be completed by the same deadline. Student A stays up all night to write an essay but sleeps throughout the class. In contrast, student B seeks help with writing papers. He outsources the paper, completes the tasks, and is still mentally alert for the day. Who is better off? When faced with multiple assignments, let PapersOwl write your papers and focus on other productive tasks. Professional writers will do a better job than you and still meet the deadline. In effect, it reduces tension and anxiety. 

Overwhelming Workload and Lack of Control

Overwhelming coursework leads to more tension. Students feel pressured to complete a high volume of work in a short period, and this causes them to feel chronic stress and anxiety.

Apart from this, a lack of control over their workload contributes to feeling helpless. When undergraduates cannot cope with school demands, they feel frustrated and resent their fate.

Unrealistic Expectations and Perfectionism

Goal setting is normal. But society sometimes puts too much pressure on achieving every target or performing at a certain level. This leads to frustrations and feeling inadequate. Apart from societal factors, undergraduates who are perfectionists are more prone to burnout. They strive for perfection and always feel like they are not doing enough. This mentality sets the bar too high and increases the tension.

Lack of Support

Students without academic support systems go through college alone. Sometimes, they work extra jobs to support their living expenses and juggle coursework with extracurriculars. The lack of support from family and colleagues makes them feel isolated and overwhelmed.

Academic burnout is a combination of various factors and varies in people. But the symptoms are often the same. Look out for the following when trying to diagnose the condition:

• Exhaustion, no matter how much you sleep, results in fatigue and insomnia.
• Lack of motivation to start school work.
• Increased irritability and frustration.
• Lack of inspiration.
• Loss of confidence and self-esteem in your abilities.
• Inability to meet major deadlines.
• Increased pain and tension manifest as headaches, muscle aches, etc.
• Overeating, staying up too late, and other activities you acquire when you are stressed.
• Inability to concentrate in school.
• Feeling anxious or depressed.

Preventing Student Burnout

Prevention is always better than cure. Pay attention to the following to prevent burnout:

Manage Your Workload

An overwhelming workload is the leading cause of undergraduate burnout. Manage it by prioritizing tasks. Break down complex projects into smaller, more manageable tasks and adopt a routine that allows for breaks and downtime.

More importantly, set realistic goals. Be honest with yourself about what you can really accomplish. Even when you feel tempted, don’t attempt to take on many tasks at once. Set achievable objectives and always celebrate your wins.

Practice Self-Care

We function best when our bodies are also at their best level. Therefore, take care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat healthy diets, and engage in helpful activities. Take breaks to stretch, meditate, or practice deep breathing.

There is no formula for self-care. The secret is to do anything that makes you feel more attuned to yourself. Fill your calendars with enjoyable activities you love to do and get outside. Also, leverage technology to simplify processes. Make time for social activities, and don’t be shy to take a step back to relieve yourself.

Find a Support System

Having someone you can talk to, such as a hypnotherapist online, helps you release bottled-up emotions and express how you feel. Together, you navigate the feeling and come up with a solution.

Keep a close network of friends, families, and academic advisors for help when needed. Also, consider joining a club or study group that provides a sense of community.

Tips to Recover from Academic Burnout

If you feel overwhelmed with university life, follow these tips to recuperate and get back on track.

Be Honest with Yourself

The best way to change anything is to admit where you’re coming from. This is one of the secrets to staying motivated during your education. There is no point beating yourself up over where you are today. Instead, recognize and allow it to be.

We recommend you make a list of things that are causing you to feel high-stress levels. Next to each point, write at least one way to reduce its impact on you.

Evaluate Your Priorities

When you clarify your priorities, you will easily track activities that should come first. Also, you make easy decisions when faced with multiple tasks and invitations. Take a break to recharge and engage in activities you enjoy, such as reading history books, playing games, or walking for a while.

When reading, apply the spaced repetition method to learn information quickly. Aim to go to bed and wake up the same day and get some fresh air daily.

Reassess Your Objectives and Seek Support

Evaluate targets to determine if they are realistic and achievable. If not, adjust them as needed to align with your values and priorities. Likewise, support from friends and family is a guaranteed way to recover from burnout.

Conclusion

Burnout may be external and self-inflicted. As a result, undergraduates do their best to reinforce efforts, not the outcome. Don’t be afraid to take a step back when you feel overwhelmed. Your well-being is important in getting results.

If you realize you're tired and have no desire or energy to work, allow yourself to rest. Paying attention to burnout at the beginning is crucial to cope with it easier. Get outside and make time for social activities to get your mind off school work. Your recovery won’t be overnight. But you will start to feel better when you implement the tips in this post.