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chicanastudies · 4 years

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calischolar ---> latinx-scholar

it’s the end of an era and the start of a new one. also, since im going to be attending university, i will be doing an intro post soon. also, i want a new profile pic, so if anyone has suggestions or even wants to make one for me (possible payment available), then feel free to reply or message me :)

#new url #end of an era #calischolar #probs gonna change my tracking tag too #i just wanna change my blog #but still be a studyblr #and hopefully be active lol #own post #my own post #url change

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a-studying-cactus · 5 years

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How to avoid burnout

Hello my Dearest Cacti! Welcome to my first advice post! I thought that I could share a little bit on how I avoid burnout. One of the most dangerous things for any student, in my opinion, would be burning out while still in the middle of the term. But I do have some tips and tricks for you to continue to work even when you don’t necessarily feel like doing it.

In case you don’t know, burnout is when you lack the energy required to fulfill the demands of your schoolwork due to feeling exhausted both physically and mentally.

Don’t rely on motivation

You won't be motivated all the time and it is unrealistic to expect that of yourself. In fact, it can be quite ineffective to rely on motivation alone to get things done as it is often a fleeting emotion. Self-discipline is much more reliable if you want to avoid burnout permanently.

Set realistic goals

Are you really going to learn 100 pages of your textbook in one day? Good luck with that. Some of you might be compulsive studiers but this isn't a very healthy habit for both your physically and mental health. Excessive studying has been proven to lead to lower productivity, fatigue and -you guessed it- burnout. Try to keep each goal as realistic as you can.

This can be difficult when you have a fast approaching deadline. But if that is the case, you need to accept that you aren't going to get everything done on time. You just have to find the most important, core concepts, that you need to study. You know your own limitations. Don’t make your study plan impossible.

Break up your tasks

Often thinking about that one huge task that you need to get done will make you feel like leaving it for later. But putting it off will only make your anxiety worse in the future.

By breaking up a huge task into smaller, more manageable tasks, then the entire situation will become less daunting. Since these smaller tasks won’t seem to be taking as much effort, then you’ll be more likely to start doing them.

For an exam, this could be something like “make flashcards for unit 1″ or “read through textbook 87-94.″ For writing papers, this can be writing a really rough outline, doing research for each point of your outline, writing the first paragraph, etc.

The simple act of breaking up a huge task into smaller tasks will make you less likely to get distracted since you only need to focus for a short while.

Reward yourself for completing small tasks

This could be for one of the smaller tasks above, or finishing a section of your study plan, or achieving a certain grade but as long as you have something to look forward to, you will feel more motivated to do it.

The rewards could be anything! From going out to eat to watching your favourite TV show. For me, I usually have a special treat like a mars bar, or I buy something I really want if I get a good grade. As long as the reward motivates you to complete your task, it’s working.

I am aware that some people are more motivated by punishments if they do not complete a task and if you do want to take that approach, by all means do so. These punishments often go along the lines of not allowing yourself to use social media until you’ve completed a task or other such things. But be careful, this can often lead to unhealthy behaviours that end up harming your mental wellbeing and your productivity. Thoughts along the lines of “I can’t take a break until I finish all this work” or “no eating until I complete this task” is severely harmful and absolutely should be avoided.

Establish a study routine

Making a habit of accomplishing your goals at a set time every day will help you enormously. Humans are creatures of habit after all. This may not be for everyone, but having a set time everyday to complete a task means you are much more likely to do it. Such as getting your homework done as you get home from school, rather then “ whenever you have time.”

A study routine will make you less distracted since you know that each period of time has a purpose. Remember to always schedule in time for breaks (but I’ll go into more detail about this in the next section). If this is the first time you’re trying this out, attempt to get rid of all distractions completely. That way, you can focus easier, for example, putting your phone on silent and in the other room.

Schedule in time for breaks

Some people may think that a “break” is simply a reward for your studying, but this really shouldn’t be the case. Taking a break is a necessity for the wellbeing of your mind and body. After taking a break, your mind will be refreshed and you’ll have more energy to continue with your other tasks. Not to mention, taking regular breaks is necessary in avoiding burnout.

But it is very important that your breaks are scheduled. That way you can prevent yourself from becoming unproductive with tons of unfinished tasks and it ensures you also get enough rest.

I suggest you take very regular short breaks, so every 20 minutes or so you remember to get up, stretch, drink some water and maybe also have a snack.

Regular self care

I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to get enough sleep, eat well and keep in touch with friends.

Sleep improves your cognitive function, enhances your mood and is key in avoiding burning out. You need to sleep in order for memories to be cemented in your brain. So a little study and a good night’s sleep will cause you to recall much more information then if you spent the entire night studying and got no sleep at all.

Healthy foods will greatly improve your physical health and your mood. Proper nutrition with protein, vitamins and fiber will give your brain the power it needs to push through. Please do not skip meals - you’ll honestly just end up feeling terrible for it. If you’re like me and you enjoy schedules and plans, then take your diet as a challenge. Try to eat as healthy as you can.

Humans are social animals, wherever you are on the spectrum of introverts and extroverts, everyone needs regular social interaction. This will keep you sane. Go out with your friends, join a club or maybe even go on a study date. Schedule it in if you have to. At the very least you should be doing this once a week.

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I really hope this post has been helpful! If you have any questions at all or you need some more advice, don’t hesitate to send me an ask. Happy studies my wonderful Cacti!