It's a familiar college story. Last week, I had one of the worst few days of my life. I bit off more than I could chew, and it bit me in the ass. Royally.
I had a few assignments due and a couple tests to study for, but what really got me was my midnight to 6 a.m. shifts at work. Among all of it, I was awake for about 48 hours. However, I was planning on staying awake for at least 10 more hours. I had an important tests to take and two other classes to attend.
Unfortunately, I accidentally (and understandably) fell asleep and missed my test. When I woke up and realized what had happened, I was so angry with and disappointed in myself, and just all-around heartbroken, that I went back to sleep and didn't leave my room until 6:30 p.m. I ended up having to drop the class. Luckily, I had a girlfriend to take me out that night and lift my spirits.
I believe that it's possible to avoid burn out, but just in case it does happen to you, I also list some ways for you to recover from them.
How to Avoid Burning Out
1. Time Management
I know we hear and say this all the time, but just to reiterate procrastination is the devil. Say it with me now: "I shall manage my time wisely." Good. Now let's hope we'll stick to that. Seriously though, one of the most important skills we'll leave college with is how to properly manage our time. Soon, we'll be in the real world where we have to juggle our social lives, our careers, our personal lives and a lot more. I can honestly say that, looking back at it now, if I managed my name better, I would not have had such a crap week. This goes hand-in-hand with the next point.
2. Organize And Plan
If you read my introduction, it probably wouldn't seem like it, but I am very organized. I have a physical daily planner, and I put my entire schedule (academic, personal and social) in my phone's calendar as well. I also use a task manager app. Then, I color code everything so that all three match. The best way to stop procrastinating is to organize your life, plan what you're going to do a couple weeks ahead and set realistic goals. The first thing I do when I get my syllabus in week one is to fill in all important dates in my planner. This means tests, assignments and assigned readings. Then, I look at my weeks and spread out my to-dos evenly. Yes, these syllabus schedules are tentative, but that isn't something a little white out and rescheduling can't fix.
3. Do What You Like
We've all heard the common phrase "do what you like and you'll never work a day in your life," and it's true. If you really enjoy what you're doing, you're less likely to think of it as a chore. It'll be something fun to do for yourself. You won't think of it as school work if you truly enjoy your classes. And you won't hate getting up for work if you love your job. You'll probably end up finishing all your tasks early because you were so excited to do them. You won't feel tired after doing hours of work. Still don't over do it. I'm just saying you can probably spend more time on something if you truly love doing it.
4. Take Time Out For Yourself
When you're planning, organizing and scheduling your life, make sure to put aside some time for yourself. Don't put all of your tasks back to back. Sometimes, take an entire day for yourself. Do something that relaxes you. Watch a movie, listening to music, spend the day outside with your phone off. Whatever you do to wind down is great. You get bonus points if you spend this time alone. Get to know yourself a little bit more. Be comfortable with being on your own.
5. Get Adequate Sleep
Always, always, always get a good night's rest. As the self-proclaimed Queen of the All-Nighter, I can tell you that the cons outweigh the pros. Yes, you might have finished that essay, but what was the quality of your work? And what about the day after? You're going to be groggy and unfocused in class. You may even fall asleep in one or two of them. Or you could attempt an all-nighter, blink and find yourself waking up from sleeping through the night. Now you haven't finished your work, you may or may not have overslept and you'll still be groggy at school. See? More cons than pros.
