Do you ever feel like you’ve got absolutely no energy to do anything, even when you’re bored out of your mind? You might be burnt out.
You’ve probably heard the term tossed around a lot, especially after exams or during busy seasons. However, burnout is more than just being tired. The World Health Organization defines it as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Now swap out “workplace” for “school,” and yeah, makes sense, right? University can definitely feel like a full-time job, but the boss is the syllabus and promotions are just more deadlines. Burnout isn’t just about being overworked. It’s about being emotionally and mentally drained. When I was burnt out, it was to the point where even activities I loved doing didn’t feel worth the effort anymore.
Going into third year, I’ve only really experienced burnout twice. Compared to my lighter first year, the second year hit me like a truck. I had early mornings, five or six intense courses per term, and this constant background noise of comparing myself to other students who seemed to have it all figured out. I did force myself to lock in during finals season, but once they were over, I realized that those awful semesters had left me feeling burnt out. I remember just lying in bed, doom scrolling on social media, watching other people do all the things I wished I could get up and do. That made it worse because now not only was I not doing anything, I was also stressed about not doing anything.
What got me finally moving? Putting things into perspective. I started small: one day I folded laundry and cleaned my closet. Next, I deleted old screenshots of lecture boards I never used from my photo gallery and tidied my laptop. Slowly, I added in things that made me feel better: baking, a bit of skincare, and even 10 minutes of cardio. Not all days were productive, but these small steps helped me recharge.
Here are seven simple things I tried that helped me take a break from burnout:
- Write a quick journal entry on anything and everything
- Listen to a nostalgia playlist
- People-watch somewhere busy with a sweet treat
- Do some stretching
- Sit outside and doodle whatever catches the eye
- Take a 20 min nap to reset
- Go for a walk outside and get some fresh air
Going outside ultimately made me realize that we really just live on a tiny planet. Sounds obvious, but putting these kinds of things in perspective really changed my whole mindset. I found this blog post super helpful to find a bunch of beautiful, outdoor places in UBC that gave me the fresh air I needed!
To end this off, I would say to watch #hopecore reels/videos, they honestly work. Burnout takes time to recover from, and sometimes the best thing to do is to take a break. I took this advice and when I was ready, trying one small thing was what made all the difference. I hope my experience made you feel less alone and remember to start small!
Photo by Jamil Rhajiak / UBC Brand & Marketing on Flickr
References:
Chapman Learning Commons. (2024, October 25). Outdoor Spots to Practice Mindfulness. https://learningcommons.ubc.ca/outdoor-spots-to-practice-mindfulness/.
World Health Organization. (2019, May 28). Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases.
