Academic burnout is defined as feeling exhausted or unmotivated to study. When we do the same thing again and again, we get bored of it. The same is the case with studies. Students must learn the same thing over and over again in order to gain knowledge, but this can make them feel less motivated to study and thus sick and tired of it. This tiredness and exhaustion are not for a short period of time, but a prolonged one if not taken care of on time. We do feel exhausted if we keep studying throughout the day or burn our midnight oil during the exams, but this should not be confused with academic burnout. When we are irritated and frustrated for an extended period of time and do not want to return to our studies, we may be dealing with academic burnout.

Symptoms of academic burnout

Some of the symptoms of academic burnout include being irritated, frustrated, or not wanting to study or attend another class. But it should not be taken lightly as it may lead to psychosomatic problems such as headaches, insomnia, depression etc.

How to know if you are dealing with academic burnout?

• Even though you’re getting enough sleep, you’re exhausted.
• No motivation to attend classes or work on any project.
• always feel anxious and depressed.
• Illness due to depression.
• Not taking care of oneself.
• Indulging in bad habits like eating junk food or overeating, biting nails, etc.
• not submitting work on time.
• loss of confidence.
• No creativity or inspiration while working on projects.
• Lash out at others with frustration

Strategies to prevent burnout

If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, it’s good to get diagnosed before it’s too late and you are fully blown out of academics. There are certain strategies that could be used to prevent academic burnout.

Relaxing in nature

Nature has the strong power to shred our stress and fill us up with energy again. Spending time with nature refreshes our minds and bodies and hence energises us to work again. Climbing trees, bathing in rivers or ponds, fishing, river rafting, mountain climbing, and camping are some of the activities that could be done in the natural environment. There must be a nature trip once every two months to get a break from our daily routine and come back to work with full energy.

Spending time with our hobbies

Each one of us has one or another hobby. A hobby is any activity that we love to do during our free time. Try finding some time to get busy with your hobby every day. This will help you to relieve your stress and get back to your studies with creativity at the top.

Physical activities

As time is changing from generation to generation, so are our living habits. In the current generation, we all know how much time we spend on social media or playing video games. But too much of anything is bad. Take out time to go outdoors and play some physical games like cricket, football, or any game you like. Simple cycling can also refresh us a lot.

Meeting with people

Friends are so important to all of us. Meet your friends, talk to them, and you will feel happy from within. Friends are those who understand us and always stand with us, whatever the situation may be. Spending time with friends, playing something with them, or eating out with them can be enjoyable and fun at the same time.

Set goals

Most of the time, we feel exhausted because we haven’t finished our work. Set goals and prioritise your work. It will help you meet your deadlines and complete all your assignments on time. If your assignments are completed on time, of course, you will not feel irritated or exhausted.

Avoid Procrastination

” I can do this work later. Oh, I still have time. I will do it tomorrow. ” And time is up. You don’t complete any work of yours if you keep on postponing the same. Make a to-do list every day. This will remind you of all the work you need to complete on that day itself.

Spend time with your family.

Our family is very important to us. Our parents are the ones who are always worried about us. Talk to them; they will always point you in the right direction and assist you in your difficulties.

Conclusion

Most of the time, students feel exhausted if there is too much pressure on studies. It is the duty of our education department to include only those topics in our syllabus which are needed. Students should also complete all their work on time so that they can enjoy other things and feel less exhausted.