Beating the Burden of Burnout

Ah, burnout. No matter how I try to keep motivated through the semester, I always end up feeling like a stepped-on Capri-Sun by the end of it. The foot is responsibilities and deadlines. The Capri-Sun is me. And the sweet sugary nectar is my limited reserve of motivation. I’m no stranger to burnout. This week’s blog is a lesson for both of us as I examine the cause, effect and prevention of what I consider the worst B-word.

According to the American Psychological Association, burnout is “an extended period of time where someone experience exhaustion and a lack of interest in things, resulting in a decline in their job performance.” Not sure if you’re burning out? Symptoms include persistent exhaustion, suffering grades, social disengagement and a lack of motivation. The key feature of burnout is a decline in performance. If you’re experiencing an unusual amount of stress, but it isn’t affecting your performance, it isn’t burnout. 

Burnout doesn’t just happen overnight. It can take months or years to develop. There are multiple causes that can contribute to it, but mostly, burnout is caused by having too much going on in your life to keep up. A study by the University of Southern Maine in 2006 found that over half of students surveyed felt that their overbearing course load was the cause. Other factors included health issues, lack of personal motivation and outside influences such as part-time work or family struggles.

What’s the prescription? For one, put more consideration into the number and difficulty of your courses for the semester. Considering the study mentioned above, this is probably most important of all. Try not to give yourself more work than you can handle. Learn the power of the word “no.” Overachieving students are often prone to stretch themselves thin, thinking they can do it all. If you have a lot going on at the moment, and you’re considering more work, think about it seriously. Don’t be afraid to say no if you’re worried you won’t be able to finish in time. Another factor is sleep. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you aren’t going to function at full capacity. Make sure you’re getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep at night. Most importantly, if you think you’re burning out, ask for help. If you’re not comfortable talking to a mental health professional, reach out to a family member or friend. You might be surprised at how much they can relate.

In all, be like the Eagles and take it easy. We all have the tendency to overestimate our ability when it comes to work, and I’m no exception. That doesn’t mean slack off and only do the bare minimum, but give yourself some breaks and recuperation time between tasks. If you have so much going on that you can’t get a break, you’re going to burn out eventually. In time, you’ll find the perfect balance for yourself and your grades will thank you.

By Danny Holland - Danny is a senior public relations and advertising major and the Communications Intern for the Division of Student Affairs at The University of Southern Mississippi.