Student burnout, also known as academic burnout, refers to a negative, emotional, physical and mental reaction when students are pushed past the brink of exhaustion without any rest or time to recharge which can ultimately lead to a decline in their academic performance.
Symptoms of burnout:
The severity of a student burnout can vary from person to person as it could lead to various health issues. It’s important to point out these symptoms so those who believe they may be suffering from a burnout can seek help or at least prevent it. Some common symptoms are:
Feeling exhausted no matter how much sleep you get
Lacking motivation to attend classes or start assignments
Lacking creativity or inspiration in projects or class discussions
Low self-confidence in academic deadlines
Incapability to meet important deadlines
Incapability to focus on school work or lectures
Feeling anxious or depressed
Preventing student burnout:
If you believe that you or someone close to you is experiencing some degrees of student burnout, here are some ways to prevent that:
Recognize the symptoms: knowing the early signs of a burnout is really important. It can help you make any changes you may need to daily routine.
Seek support: Speaking to a counselor or a professional may help you from burning out. Friends, family and professors can also help.
Eat well and exercise: Make sure to eat properly and drink a lot of water. Exercising can help boost your energy. Doing these two things can protect your physical and mental health.
Get some sleep: it’s easy to skip out on a couple hours of sleep to catch up on your work, but it’s better to sleep when you’re exhausted. Maintaining a healthy sleep schedule can help boost your productivity and boost your mood.
Time management: Set some time aside and work in some breaks into your schedule. Taking a break even for five minutes can help lower your stress levels and boost your productivity.
Student burnouts can happen to anyone any age at any time, but with zoom classes still going on, it’s become more apparent than ever. If you’re experiencing this, it’s important to be able to know the signs and how to prevent it. Or, if you know someone who may be experiencing a burnout or on the edge of one, don’t be afraid to reach out to them. Mental health is as important as your physical health, so make sure to take good of yourselves!