“This year, I am going to work hard to put my health before school and prevent burnout!” – me to me in September
HA.
“Ohmygoshihatethisillneverfinishintime omg omg ugh. You got this though girl, BE POSITIVE, BE POSITIVE.” – me to me now, sleep deprived and stressed.
If you’re not here yet (or never have been), congrats! Seriously. If you have been, join the club. Let’s address our fluctuating levels of misery together.
First, to prevent burnout, you need to discover what causes it for you in the first place. Me? School. That’s probably a topper on every “good” student’s list (and by good, I mean more stressed and dedicated and probably more stubborn than the average human being.)
Other causes of burnout?
- (Bad) scheduling – as in thinking you can get to ballet by 4:05 and fit an hour in to go to a baking competition at 4:50. That.
- Sports
- Extracurricular activities
- Your job
The list goes on. But I have homework so it’s stopping there.
How to prevent burnout? Heh, if I knew, I’d tell you. But there is no one way to prevent it. Sorry if the title was misleading.
BUT,
Don’t click out on me yet.
The way to counteract burnout is to create a sense of
B A L A N C E .
How you get there… well, it looks different for everyone.
Some ways you can balance your lifestyle to directly/indirectly prevent burnout include:
STOP being a yes person. Don’t spread yourself thin. Put yourself first sometimes! If you can’t fit something in, be honest. If you’re going to give someone your time, make sure all of you is there or you’re wasting everyone’s time, including yourself.
Have FAITH because everything works out when you have faith – whether it be in God, the universe, yourself, all three, or just one. Have faith in people too. You can’t control what happens to you while you’re here on Earth, so you might as well let go and have a good time.
Go to THERAPY if you can afford it – and by the way you don’t need to have a crisis or mental disorder/illness to go to therapy, okay? Okay. Life is tough sometimes and it’s okay to want/need some help going through it.
Socialize MORE if you’re an extrovert because that way, you’ll have people supporting you while you’re going through a period of burnout AND someone to rant to, AND people to help you forget the pain you’re going through! YAY!
Disconnect from technology by reading a good book or lighting a candle or taking a warm bath.
Do something that stimulates your mind and helps you to feel fulfilled, because then you’ll feel productive, which is one of the best feelings ever.
STOP comparing yourself to others because, 1) it doesn’t affect them AT ALL but 2) it affects you in a NEGATIVE way. Not only are you reaping ZIPPO benefits, but you’re actually being detrimental toward yourself. Not cool.
So that’s my list! It’s a little firm, but I wrote it as if I’m talking to myself, who needs a serious dose of deal with it and move on. But that’s hard, and I’ve got to be gentle with myself and so do you, so embrace your pain in a healthy way and carry on. That’s life. And it can be pretty great. ❤
Smarts and Sparkles 