by Shelbie Serad
May 6th 2022
Share
When someone says “Happy Spring” as a cheerful greeting, is your response to notice the sun and flowers, or spiral into worry about having just weeks left of the term? Take a moment to check in. Are you ready and energized to take on the day, or are you feeling burnt out and overwhelmed?
As students and employees of Campus Rec you have a lot on your plate. Stress is having too much on your plate; burnout is having too much on your plate and feeling like you don’t have enough motivation or energy. Burnout can present as difficulty concentrating or remembering things, losing sight of yourself and your goals, frustration and irritability, and physical discomfort. If this sounds like you, you might be experiencing burnout and it’s important to recognize it to prevent further harm to yourself.
There are two keys to addressing burnout: reduce the pressure on yourself, and recharge your batteries each day.
Reduce Pressure
- Recognize that your current schedule/routine is not sustainable and acknowledge your limits. You may be eager to excel, but if you give too much of yourself to others, what's left for you? Consider that “whenever you say “yes” to something, you’re saying “no” to something else”.
- Communicate your needs with those around you. Let your professors and supervisors know how you are feeling and what’s going on. They can’t help you if they don’t know you’re struggling! Or, make time to talk with a trusted friend, family member or counselor about your wellbeing. The Student Health and Counseling Center has amazing free resources for you.
Recharge Wellbeing
- Schedule short breaks into your calendar as part of your daily routine. And, create one-minute screen time breaks to reduce visual and noise stimuli as a way of recharging.
- Go for a walk, listen to music, practice mindfulness, or utilize breathing exercises, even if just for 5 minutes a day.
- Consider your social wellbeing - when’s the last time you enjoyed a night with your friends and family? Spending quality time with loved ones can be rejuvenating.
I urge you to pinpoint one thing you can say “no” to this month and instead use that time to schedule a 5 minute break into your day. Use this time to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine or maybe close your eyes for a few minutes.
Wishing you well during these challenging times. You got this - we at Campus Rec, believe in you!
This information was brought to you by Healthline and Integris Health.