A guide to burnout & how to prevent it during exam season

In the next month or so, I’m going to have 14 exams. Right now, a lot of people are in the same boat! Unfortunately, exam season is upon us. As a result, more and more students are spending hours doing past papers and making notes. However, it’s incredibly important to make sure you don’t burnout!

What is burnout?

Burnout is when you get stressed, unmotivated, and overwhelmed. This usually happens when you feel unable to keep up with the demands of life – revision, exams, and other responsibilities. You begin to lose motivation and interest in your work. Unfortunately, burnout can lower your productivity and negatively impact your exam results. It can even impact your physical health, making you more susceptible to the flu.

Why does burnout happen?

There are a number of reasons why burnout happens, but the primary reason is due to prolonged stress. This is why burnout is so common during exam season – you’ve got high workloads, pressure to do well, and study-life imbalance. All these factors build up, causing stress and burnout.

Signs you might have burnout

Obviously, I’m no mental health professional, so if you feel as though you may have burnout, please seek professional advice! That being said, here are some signs of student burnout:

• You have trouble getting motivated to revise
• You quickly become irritated with friends & family
• You lack energy and don’t feel productive
• You don’t feel enthusiastic about studying or learning anymore
• You have trouble concentrating

How to prevent burnout

Unfortunately, you can’t exactly as for exams to be postponed. That’s why, when you feel as though you’re starting to burnout, you need to take action immediately! Here are some things you should try in order to prevent burnout!

Get support

Talk to your friends and family about how you’re feeling! It’s very likely that they’re experiencing something similar to you, and talking about it will benefit both of you. Also, if you feel as though burnout is negatively impacting your negative health, talk to a mental health professional or your school counsellor!

Relax

Although it may seem like you don’t have time to relax, you need to find time or make time. Obviously, it’s important to revise for your exams, but it’s just as important to take care of yourself. Remember that burnout can negatively impact your exam results! Do relaxing things to prevent burnout, like going for a walk, listening to music, hanging out with friends, doing yoga, meditating, painting, or drawing – anything enjoyable!

Stay healthy

Exercise, sleep, and a good diet not only decrease stress, but can improve your exam results! During exam season, take great care to eat well, exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, and sleep for 8 hours. As a result, you’ll have better clarity and focus for your revision!