By Ty Zaccagnini, Senior Health Professions Peer Ambassador
It may not be today, tomorrow, or even in the next year, but there will be a time in your academic or professional career, where you will experience a phenomenon commonly referred to as “burnout.” Burnout is a dreaded state of complete mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion, and studies show that over 58% of physicians often have feelings of burnout. It can negatively affect your relationships, make you dread going into work or completing tasks in school, and lead to an overall sense of dissatisfaction and demotivation. So, what can be done to help lessen the likelihood of you experiencing burnout while in school?
One key component in finding continual success and happiness in your studies, is being able to balance a productive work life, and a healthy social life. Though, this is no easy feat. It takes a lot of hard work and self-reflection to be able to turn your brain off, and enjoy a night out with friends.
Being in college is, for many people, the highlight of their life. College is an interesting space, it’s a time for us all to have fun, let loose, and make memories, all while working through the most difficult curricula many of us are ever going to experience. The duality between work, and play, is so incredibly strong, it’s seemingly impossible to do both, right? Wrong! Yes, it’s crucial you do well in all of your classes, and put your absolute best foot forward when completing assignments and exams. But there is certainly a time and a place for school work to be done, and finding that distinction is what’s going to help you find that perfect balance.
For me, mapping out my day, and being meticulous about when and where I’m completing my work, plays a huge role in my ability to leave it at bay. Being productive throughout the day, studying at the library and completing all of my assignments, gives me the flexibility to close my computer the second I get home, and enjoy the time I have to spend with my friends. When I’m having difficulty completing tasks, the constant reminder in the back of my mind saying, “once you’re finished you can go home and relax,” is honestly really helpful.
I encourage you to find your spaces, and set clear boundaries for yourself in terms of your work, and how it gets completed. Find your study spots, and your relaxation spots, and although it may be difficult, respect those zones. Don’t bring your work to a friend’s house on a Friday night, enjoy yourself!
At the end of the day, I think it’s really important to put everything into perspective. You have to ask yourself, in 30 years, am I going to remember the few hours I lost studying that weekend? Or am I going to remember the memories I made with my friends? Many of us only have 4 years in college, so it’s really important that we enjoy those years as young adults, figuring out the world, and allow ourselves to experience life during this challenging time period.
Now, I’m not saying that you should never study again, and go out every weekend, but what I am saying is that a break will not be your downfall, I promise. If you can move meticulously, and avoid falling into the trap of recklessness, you WILL find success.
We’re all capable of doing really great things, and we all will go on to do so. So enjoy the time you have as a young adult, and take advantage of the opportunities in front of you. Good luck, and have some faith in yourself, you’ve got this!
Ty is a senior in the Honors Program, majoring in Physiology and Neurobiology, with minors in Neuroscience and Molecular & Cell Biology. Click here to learn more about and connect with Ty.