Student Blog: Tips for a Healthier, Happier You - Overcoming Burnout

Have you ever experienced suddenly feeling exhausted and lethargic after a busy period of school life? Or perhaps you thought you could handle the stress, but instead experienced physical reactions such as fatigue and indigestion? If so, you may be at risk of burnout. College students with a hectic school life can easily fall victim to burnout. Burnout refers to the state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by extreme stress, resulting in symptoms such as lethargy and depression. Even when fully immersed in something, accumulation of stress can cause sudden exhaustion and lethargy, which is exactly what burnout is.

As we live our lives, we make countless plans. However, life does not always go according to plan, and variables are bound to arise. Especailly, people who are greatly affected by variables due to their tendency are more likely to feel frustrated if something does not go as planned. You can get a considerable amount of stress in this process. Since burnout is closely related to stress, it is crucial to regulate one's own stress above all else. However, the reality is that regulating stress is a genuinely challenging task. The best way is to get out of the situation, but sometimes you have to control your stress. In other words, it is a case where external factors cannot be changed and only internal factors can be solved. Here are some tips to get a little out of burnout from internal factors.

1. Taking a Break and Giving Yourself Some Time to Relax

Being in a state of burnout means that rest is necessary. Therefore, more than anything, it is important to take sufficient rest to relieve stress and fatigue. If you are in a state of burnout, it is recommended to take some time to rest in your own space. There are various ways to rest. You can eat your favorite food or simply lie down comfortably without thinking about anything. However, since burnout is caused by extreme stress, it is usually better to choose a calm method of relaxing the body and mind.

2. Doing Something that You Can Fully Immerse Yourself in

Avoidance is often an undesirable solution in problem-solving. However, if you have fallen into burnout, taking a brief break can be a refreshing solution. For example, if you have been studying continuously, trying baking or taking a short trip can also be a solution. Burnout can occur when you invest a lot of time in a single field and accumulate stress as a result. It's like a racehorse that only looks at one thing and continues to do so. In such cases, experiencing a completely different field and providing new experiences to the brain can also be a solution to escape burnout.

3. Talk to a Friend or Write It Down

Have you ever listened to a friend's problem and suggested a solution? Usually, when listening to someone else's experience and suggesting a solution, you can provide a different perspective. If your head is cluttered due to a problem, it is recommended to talk to a friend or write it down. If you talk to a friend, asking for their perspective and seeking help can also be a solution. If you write it down, write down your own situation and think about a solution from someone else's perspective, imagining it as someone else's story.

4. Getting Up from Your Desk and Moving Your Body

There is a saying that the body and mind are connected. In reality, many people living in modern society spend a lot of time in front of a laptop or desk. How about moving your body a little to get away from the problem at hand? Exercise can be a great help in a state of burnout. Exercise reduces the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol and promotes the secretion of the pleasure hormone endorphin. This reduces physical and mental stress and enhances concentration and memory. In addition, exercise improves sleep, leading to deeper sleep. Therefore, in a state of burnout, you can promote the recovery of your body and mind through exercise.

The most important thing in dealing with burnout is to create energy to move forward again. If you are currently experiencing burnout, do not think that you are wasting time because of it. Burnout is an alarm telling you that you need rest. I hope that you can move forward toward your goals in a healthy way through sufficient rest and recovery.

Photo Credit : Eunsong Yang