It’s common for students to experience burnout during the school year, especially towards the end. Here are a few things students can do to foster a healthy mind and relieve exhaustion and stress.
Take care of your body
A healthy mind starts with a healthy body. Eating nutritious meals and drinking plenty of water contributes to your overall health and can in turn help you feel more positive and energized. Engaging in physical exercise at least once or twice a week not only leaves your body feeling good physically, but also releases endorphins that improve your mental health and overall mood.
Smoking, vaping, and alcohol use can have significant long-lasting effects on the body, such as head and body aches, vision sensitivity, and mild depression. Abstaining from or regulating your intake of these products can help improve your mental and physical health throughout the school year.
Quiet your mind
Taking the time to relax and quiet your mind from all the chaos of being a student can be extremely beneficial in the long run — especially when trying to avoid burnout. Dedicating at least five minutes every day to activities that encourage mindfulness is a great way to quiet your mind. One such activity is meditation, a practice that promotes spirituality and awareness. Other activities such as journaling help to clear the mind by encouraging you to express your thoughts and bottled-up energy onto the piece of paper. It’s important to remember that some methods don’t work for everyone — take the time to find what works best for you.
Ask for help
Students have a range of resources available to them, whether at home or the school they attend. Keeping your thoughts and feelings contained can be anxiety inducing and lead to unhealthy burnout within the school year. Talking to your friends and family, professors, or a campus counsellor about the cause of your stress — whether school related or not — can be extremely useful.
Set a routine
Deciding what you want to achieve academically, professionally, and personally and writing down the steps you need to take can be a useful organizational tool to help create a routine. This action plan will give you a greater potential of reaching your goals incrementally and reduce procrastination, forgetfulness, and stress.
Surround yourself with the right people
Seek out a network of like-minded students who bring out the best in you! Being surrounded by driven, motivated, and enthusiastic people can help foster a healthy work environment. A strong study group is a great way to build mutual support and alleviate feelings of burnout.
