Experiencing academic overwhelm? Here’s exactly what you need to do.
This post is all about burnout in college.
Have you ever thought, “I literally don’t have the time to finish all the things I need to do,” or seriously thought “I don’t know how I’m going to finish and pass all my classes this semester”? I’m sorry to break it to you, but that sounds like a sure sign of burnout in college.
Thankfully, there are a few easy things you can do to recover from burnout in college and then avoid experiencing it again in the future.
I’ve experienced college burnout too many times in my college career, so I committed to finding alllll the possible ways to avoid it.
I’m gonna share those with you so that you don’t have to do any more digging yourself, because I know you don’t have the time for it!
This post is all about burnout in college.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Our full disclosure policy is pretty boring, but you can read it here.
How to tell you’re experiencing college burnout
It’s important that you know how to identify college burnout so that you can fix it before it gets really bad. Here are some signs that you’re experiencing burnout in college:
- You’re always tired
- You can’t sleep well, or you keep oversleeping
- You’re irritable
- Lack of motivation
- You’re having a hard time paying attention in class
- You feel like it takes way more energy to do your work than it used to
- Feelings of loneliness
- Your grades are worsening
- You’re more emotional than usual
- Having less interest in your social life or extracurriculars
If you can relate to any of these, then you’re in the right place.
HOW TO DEAL WITH BURNOUT IN COLLEGE:
1. Don’t shrug it off
Now that you know how to identify burnout in college, you need to pay attention to how you’re feeling day-to-day so that you can recognize these signs as early on as possible.
The truth is, burnout isn’t just something that happens once and then it’s over with.
College is busy, stressful, draining, and time-consuming. You are ALWAYS at risk of burnout.
So, just pay attention to how you’re feeling, how you’re sleeping, and how you’re functioning. If you’re feeling a little off for more than a day in a row, it’s probably a good indicator that you need to take some time to manage that stress before it turns into burnout.
2. Set new goals
Sometimes the biggest source of stress comes from… you.
I know that’s definitely true of me. I put more pressure on myself than anybody else in my life puts on me!
Why does this matter?
Well, this is where I start when it comes to recovering from burnout in college: I set new goals.
Of course, there are some things that can’t change, like due dates and deadlines. But we also put a lot of expectations on ourselves at all times.
So, when you recognize burnout, a good first step to take is to write down 3 short-term goals that you want to achieve. This will take away A LOT of your overwhelm because it will shift your focus to just those 3 things that you need to accomplish.
The goals could be anything, but here are some examples to get you started:
- Get 8 hours of sleep every night this week.
- Plan next month’s budget by Saturday.
- Finish my 3 most urgent assignments (so you can use the goal setting as a way to prioritize which assignments are must-dos).
- Meal prep a healthy meal on Sunday to have healthy food throughout the week.
- Take Saturday afternoon and evening off any work just to chill.
If you want more ideas of goals to set, you need to check out our free goal setting printables that guide you through goal setting in every area of your life!
3. Be realistic
We’ve all had those moments where we took on a new responsibility and then thought, “I wish I just said no.” But being realistic about what you can handle is so key in college!
Yes, you’re going to get a lot of opportunities.
No, you shouldn’t pass up on great opportunities.
Yes, there are a million cool and fun things to be a part of on campus.
But you’re just one person.
You can’t do it all, nor should you! It’s okay to say no to some opportunities, social gatherings, events, and extra-curriculars.
As someone who has a full course load, works 2 part time jobs, runs this blog, is involved in church, and values my social life, I quickly learned the importance in my freshman year of learning when to say no so that I don’t get burnt out.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself when you’re trying to decide whether to say “yes” or “no” to a new opportunity:
- Will this benefit or advance my long-term career?
- Is this something that will benefit my emotional well-being?
- Could this opportunity improve my financial situation?
- Will I miss out on something really valuable or important to me if I say no?
- Can I take on this opportunity and still have the time to do everything else that’s already on my plate?
- Is there something that can be taken off my plate in order to make room for this opportunity?
Keep in mind that just because something improves your financial situation or sounds like a fun opportunity still doesn’t mean it’s worth saying yes. These are just some guiding questions to help you weigh the pros and cons.
4. Develop a consistent routine
This one is INSANELY IMPORTANT!
I know having a consistent routine is not easy in college. Your classes are at all different times, you might have a job that gives you a different schedule every week, etc. But there are certain things that you CAN control and keep consistent.
Examples?
Your morning routine. Your night routine. What time you eat lunch. Habits you want to do every day that will support your emotional well-being.
If you can go to sleep and wake up around the same time every night, that will make a huge difference to your emotional well-being and sense of productivity. Eating at the same time every morning or working out on certain days every week are also great examples of how you can cultivate some consistency in your routine.
This will just make you feel like you have a little more control in your life, which really goes a long way when it comes to avoiding burnout in college.
Products that will help you with this:
✔ The Good Morning, Good Life planner by Amy Landino
✔ A daily planner like this to keep track of homework & to-dos
✔ This free habit tracking app that I swear by
5. Figure out what’s stressing you
Obviously this is easier said than done, but don’t skip over this step because it’s the main thing that will help you recover from your college burnout.
Some practical ways to figure out what’s stressing you?
- Call a friend or family member to talk about it
- Journal your thoughts until you figure it out
- Take note of what gets you overwhelmed as it pops into your mind (is there a certain thing that when you think about it, you just can’t deal with it?)
Figuring out what’s stressing you out will allow you to then find strategies on how to deal with that specific thing, which will tackle your burnout a whole lot faster.
Products that will help you with this:
✔ This gorgeous & durable hard cover journal from Amazon
6. Organize your space
Clutter can add to your stress a surprising amount. One way to deal with burnout is to take control of your surroundings by cleaning, de-cluttering, and organizing your space.
Every time I clean my room and make my desk space more organized, I feel so much better. Your environment really does make a big difference!
7. Schedule time off
Is it possible to have time off in college?
YES.
In fact, I usually don’t do ANY work at all on Sundays. No school work, no blog work, and neither of my jobs. 99% of the time, I just take all of Sunday off.
You might be thinking, how on earth does she do that?!
Time management, baby. That’s all it comes down to.
You CAN schedule time off. You just have to put your mind to it.
8. Do the bare minimum, if it comes to that
This probably isn’t the type of burnout tip you expected to hear, but here it is.
Here’s a fact that everyone who knows me knows about me:
I am a HUGE overachiever. Which means I’m also a bit of a perfectionist.
And this ties back into the fact that sometimes YOU are the person who puts the most stress on yourself. Sometimes, when I’m super burnt out, I have to convince myself that IT’S OKAY to just do the bare minimum.
It’s fine if I don’t revise my essay 5 times before handing it in. It’s probably still going to get a pretty good mark.
And not to worry if I spend 20 minutes at the grocery store just getting the bare essentials instead of spending an hour looking for all the best deals before I check out.
It’s okay if I skip an extracurricular event that I planned to go to so that I can do the stuff that I NEED to do instead.
I’m not saying don’t do a good job; I’m saying you don’t always need to go above and beyond if you just don’t have the capacity for that right now.
9. Get your body moving
This is probably pretty obvious and self-explanatory, but I’m reminding you of it anyways. Get your body moving. Do a home work out, hit the gym, go for a run, whatever it is for you.
Don’t like exercising?
That’s fine! Even just going for a walk or doing some stretches when you wake up in the morning can seriously make all the difference. Anything that stops you from sitting in the same place all day.
Products that will help you with this:
✔ PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells (I’ve been using these for years for bedroom/dorm room workouts!)
✔ These resistance bands from Amazon
✔ These ankle weights from Amazon
10. Spend some time with friends (or don’t)
Okay, I admit that the header for this tip is a little confusing… but hear me out.
Sometimes, when you’re burnt out, you really need some quality time with your best friends. Often, that’s what I need. So if that’s you, too, then by all means, spend some time with friends! You’ll feel a lot better after.
Other times, the best resolution for the overwhelm is to spend some quality time with… you guessed it… yourself. And often, taking some alone time makes all the difference.
So, whether you’re more inclined to hang out with friends or to lay low, just do one of the two.
11. Get outside
This is where going for a walk or even doing some homework outdoors can really be so good for you. Sometimes, you just need a nice change of scenery from your little dorm room or college classroom.
If you live in a place where most of your school year is a freezing cold winter, I feel you on that. It might not be quite as easy to get outside much, but even taking a 5 minute walk or stepping outside for some fresh air in the morning can seriously make all the difference.
12. Seek support
If, when all is said and done, you’re still struggling, it might be helpful to seek more professional support.
Many college campuses have professional mental health support for students, or if you have a personal therapist or counsellor there’s nothing wrong with booking an appointment.
You know best whether you need this or not, but if you just can’t seem to kick the burnout, stress and anxiety, a professional that you can actually speak to isn’t a bad idea!
Which tips are you using to manage your stress in college? Let me know below!
This post was all about burnout in college.
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