Burnout: Prevention and Treatment

What is ‘burnout’ and how do you prevent and treat it?

We all know the feeling, when you find yourself within the comfort of your favourite study spot, that one perfect cafe or library that just gets you in the studious zone, there’s that assignment due soon and the whole day waits for you to get some work done. So, now that it’s time for you to start working, you ambitiously put on your particularly made study playlist and then suddenly realise… You have absolutely no energy to work at all.

What is burnout? 

Burnout is often defined as feeling ‘worn out physically and emotionally’. However, it is more complex than simple fatigue. When you are tired, you eat, sleep, and likely wake up rejuvenated. It is an easy fix. Burnout, on the other hand, is a cycle. You attempt to do work but fail to make any progress. You berate yourself: Ugh! Why am I so tired? I’m so lazy! I’m supposed to be an academic weapon, not an academic victim. Guilt and frustration mount, leading to panic: If I don’t get the work done right now, I’ll fail the essay which means I’ll fail the module, leading to failing the entire year and inevitably being kicked off the course! This is my end! The emotional drain of these worries only adds to your burnout, and the cycle continues. 

What causes burnout?

Burnout usually stems from taking on too much without realising it. It might be your course, your job, your society (do not underestimate the ability of societies to drain you) or the combination of these. Overwhelmed by all your responsibilities, your energy gets drained, and burnout takes hold.

How to prevent burnout:

• Develop your self-awareness. Are you taking on too much? Are you in denial that the things that are supposed to be fun for you are starting to become too much? Do you have a healthy work/social life balance?
  
• Make time for socialising. You cannot always be productive. Have you seen your friends lately? Stop cancelling on them. They miss you!
  
• Get off your phone. I hate to break it to you, but being on your phone is not the ‘taking a break’ that you think it is — it is draining your energy even further. Plus, TikTok advice cannot solve all your problems.
  
• Spend time alone. While socialising is important, so too is quality alone time. Whether it’s reading, going on a walk, or playing a game, giving yourself space for enjoyment will help you recharge.
  
• Find new ways of organising your time. Spend some time planning how you can allocate your time effectively: time for you, time for your friends, and your work. This way, you can effectively avoid overloading yourself with too much at once and hopefully avoid burning out. 

How to treat burnout?

Trust me, I get it. It is hard to be motivated when there is a never-ending cycle of work. Here I am, authoring an article about burnout — and yet, I am struggling with it. 

If you’re already burnt out, here’s how to recover:

1. Do not patronise yourself. It’s easy to fall into the guilt and worry that comes along with burnout about falling behind. Give yourself grace. You are not lazy, you are just experiencing the phenomenon that is burnout. Remember, you already made it this far. You can and will get through this.

2. Take a break.  If you ever find yourself experiencing burnout, try to temporarily remove yourself from the environment that is draining you. Whether that’s a day trip to a neighbouring town, going home for the weekend, or even just spending some more time relaxing. During this time, truly disconnect from work and enjoy the break.

3. Take baby steps. This is very important. Burnout makes it hard to do any work, so the key here is to just start. Commit to small tasks — even if that’s just five minutes a day. Don’t worry about not doing ‘enough’; a gradual build-up can be surprisingly effective. Before you know it, you’ll be back, better than ever!

Burnout is a tough cycle to break, but it’s not insurmountable. By being kind to yourself, taking intentional breaks, and making gradual progress, you can recover and thrive. Remember, you’ve made it this far, and you have what it takes to overcome burnout. Hopefully, this article may provide some comfort and guidance when you need it most.