Photo by Kari Alfonso on Pexels
Written by: Vamsi N.
If there’s one thing attending University has taught me, it’s that being busy and being productive are not the same thing.
There was a point in time where I thought that the more commitments I had, the better. Classes, extracurriculars like volunteering, club activities, work, studying— I felt like I had to do everything. And at first, it felt great because I did feel accomplished. But after a while, I noticed that I was constantly exhausted, losing motivation, and dreading tasks that I normally quite enjoyed.
That’s when I realized that I had sprung myself into the unfortunately common spiral of burn out.
The challenging aspect about burnout is that it doesn’t happen overnight. It builds up slowly. You tell yourself that you’ll rest after this assignment, after this exam, or after this event. But there’s always another deadline waiting around the corner. One lesson I’ve learned is that rest is not something you earn. It’s something you need.
For me, avoiding burnout started with accepting the fact that I can’t do everything. As students, we often feel pressured to say yes to every opportunity because we’re afraid of missing out. While getting involved is important, so is knowing and understanding your limits. Sometimes saying no to one commitment allows you to give your best effort to the things that matter most.
I’ve also learned that small habits make a huge difference. Getting enough sleep, taking breaks while studying, spending time with friends, or even going for a short walk can really help, slowly but surely, change how one feels during a stressful week
These habits seem simple, but they’re often the first things we sacrifice when life gets busy and complicated.
Most importantly, I’ve realized that taking care of yourself is not being lazy or selfish. In fact, it’s what allows you to keep showing up for your goals in the long run. At the end of the day, success isn’t about seeing how much you can pile onto your schedule before you break. It’s about finding a balance that allows you to grow while still taking care of yourself.
University can be demanding and tough, but remember that your well-being matters too. Your assignments, jobs, and extracurriculars are important, but so are you. Taking care of yourself will help continue pursuing your goals and ambitions without burning out along the way!