{"id":43,"date":"2022-04-12T16:36:02","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T16:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/?p=43"},"modified":"2022-04-12T16:36:02","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T16:36:02","slug":"overcoming-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/2022\/04\/12\/overcoming-burnout\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Burnout"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi future-hawks! As summer approaches at what feels like the slowest pace humanly possible, I find myself feeling a bit burned out. Between schoolwork, my various jobs, ceaselessly applying for summer internships, and other extracurricular activities that I participate in, I have found myself more than a little stressed out lately. On top of all of that, I tend to hold myself to a needlessly high standard, meaning that I will push myself far past my limits to achieve success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, over these last few weeks, I have been looking for strategies to combat this burnout. Thanks to seminars in classes that I am taking and just conversing with friends, I have compiled a few strategies that have been fairly effective for me in managing my stress and resisting burnout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Take Some Time for Yourself<\/b><\/p>\n

Taking time for yourself is <\/span>essential<\/span><\/i> in every sense of the word. We are not robots that can constantly be working and pushing ourselves. Even if it requires planning in advance, or taking short breaks during study sessions, it is more than possible to find moments for relaxation.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that taking \u201cme-time\u201d does not have to include what would be traditionally labeled as self-care. Yes, taking time for yourself can look like putting on a face mask and listening to music, but it can also be playing video games or baking something in the kitchen. One of the perks of Mayflower Hall is the personal kitchen in the suit \u2014 I have made <\/span>many <\/span><\/i>batches of cookies due to stress. My roommates love me during midterms and finals season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, you need to find what works best for you. Look for a variety of activities, even if they\u2019re as simple as going on a walk or taking a nap. There are many ways to implement time for yourself in your schedule, so as long as you make sure that it\u2019s there, you have one easy strategy to combat burnout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Neglect the Basics<\/b><\/p>\n

As strange as it sounds, this one is a lot easier said than done. When work piles up and stress levels get high, sometimes even hopping in the shower or eating three meals a day can be a chore. Above all you have to remember \u2014 you are human! You need to drink water and eat food and take care of yourself!<\/span><\/p>\n

Along with simply needing to do these things to live, there is a strange sense of accomplishment when completing small tasks. For me, I think it\u2019s because the small satisfaction derived from bringing a task to completion motivates me to complete bigger tasks. It can be as simple as doing my laundry, taking a shower, or washing the dishes. Take a small manageable task to begin with, then move on to tasks that might take a bit more time or effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

I used to absolutely detest doing my laundry. I thought the task was tedious and I would let my laundry build up until I had to do three loads of laundry at once because I didn\u2019t have the motivation to complete those small tasks. I was too focused on the big ones. Now, doing laundry is one of my favorite parts of the week (Is that sad? It feels like it should be sad). I just put on a random background TV show, movie, or YouTube video and I spend an hour or two doing my laundry. Sure, it\u2019s still a monotonous task that is not the most fun to do, but in the end, it\u2019s relaxing to see my space tidied up a bit, and as I was saying earlier, motivates me to finish bigger tasks.<\/span><\/p>\n

When my mental health is struggling, it\u2019s easy to neglect the basics. I get that. Take things one task at a time, and (at least in my experience) things tend to get better when I deal with the things that get piled up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan Rewards for Yourself<\/b><\/p>\n

Maybe it\u2019s a little childish, but I like to plan rewards for myself when I meet goals that I set (or sometimes when I don\u2019t). It\u2019s always nice to have something positive to look forward to. Like I have been iterating this entire time, we are human. We need breaks and positivity to properly function.<\/span><\/p>\n

For me, my rewards tend to be small treats in my day. This semester, I have three classes at 8:30, one class at 8:00, and work at 8:30 one day of the week. Living at Mayflower Hall, one of the dorms that is a bit further out when compared to other dorms means that I have to get up a bit earlier to catch the bus that takes me to class. As someone who is NOT a morning person, there are certainly mornings where I would much rather sleep in instead of going to class.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, to combat this flaw, I implemented a bit of a reward system. In the event that I am not late to any of my classes or work throughout the week, I treat myself to a hot chocolate or coffee Friday afternoon. I\u2019ve been going to the Highground Cafe lately, as I am on a hot chocolate kick and their hot chocolate is quite literally the best I\u2019ve ever had (perhaps you can keep an eye out for my favorite coffee shops on campus?) and it\u2019s always a nice little treat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Physical rewards don\u2019t always have to be due to completing a goal. Sometimes, it\u2019s helpful to just plan times to get lunch or spend time with friends. It doesn\u2019t even have to be a consistent, weekly thing. Find what works best for you so you can work rewards into your day!<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember Your Goals<\/b><\/p>\n

For me, the reason that I push myself so hard is that I have clear and attainable goals in mind. I take on as much work as I can and am almost desperately looking for internships because I want to succeed in my specific career path.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, sometimes, I find it easy to forget the <\/span>why <\/span><\/i>behind my own actions. So, I would suggest taking a moment to assess and remember your intentions when things tend to get stressful. Yes, I would still recommend taking breaks and fulfilling the other tasks I had mentioned, but even doing as little as remembering our goals can be very effective in combating burnout.<\/span><\/p>\n

While there are several more strategies than the ones I listed above, it is honestly best to go by trial and error when it comes to combating burnout. Some strategies will work. Some won\u2019t. That\u2019s normal. It is not an easy journey, finding what will and will not work for your own perseverance through difficult times, but I hope that the strategies that I gave can help that journey commence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jami x<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi future-hawks! As summer approaches at what feels like the slowest pace humanly possible, I find myself feeling a bit burned out. Between schoolwork, my various jobs, ceaselessly applying for summer internships, and other extracurricular activities that I participate in, I have found myself more than a little stressed out lately. On top of all of that, I tend to hold myself to a needlessly high standard, meaning that I will push myself far past …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/140"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43\/revisions\/46"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/jami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}