Sometimes you just cannot study. Personal life and thoughts are those unpredictable and unprecedented blockades that steal relief and peace of mind.
The desire to be better and excel can also have negative effects. One such effect is having a burnout. It is awfully funny how one can be so unkind to oneself by overworking the mind and body.
Bring in Diversity into Your Week
Though burnouts are extremely frustrating to deal with and sautè your head mercilessly, they are inevitable, natural and temporary.
Burnout is synonymous with exhaustion that doesn't allow you to do the things you normally do or at least in the way you would want them to be done.
All kinds of people can have burnouts - content creators like your favorite YouTubers or Instagram influencers, artists including singers and musicians or really anybody who works relentlessly without giving themselves a break.
Below are a few tips to not only recover from a study burnout but also prevent imminent burnouts that may be coming your way.
Get Your Mind Off of Studying
When you are having a study burnout, it is a sign that your mind and body wants to refrain from studying, which you shouldn't ignore. And obviously, your body knows better than you about what it needs.
The worst thing to do then is to tire yourself even more by studying.
Forcing yourself to sit with your books at such times is not healthy. Instead, do something you thoroughly enjoy and get your mind off of it.
Watch a movie, go out with friends, play video-games, or do whatever brings you joy.
You shouldn't worry about any time limit. Until you completely recover from the burnout, time is not going to matter. Your health is more important.
Do something without purpose like throwing paint on paper or eating way out of your strict diet.
Emerge from your set boundaries and embrace its meaninglessness. Doing something spontaneous and stupid has a beauty of itself.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Breathing exercises, meditation and just taking a walk in nature can cool your head off.
It can calm your nerves and transcend you to a place that does not have any distractions nor any burdens.
I have heard that people feel such drastic changes in the way they live when they are through with just one session of meditating, breathing exercises or yoga.
It is truly the best therapy for your fast-paced life to inculcate into your daily routine.
The trick to breathing exercises is to not worry about trying to do it perfectly and ignoring all the thoughts that pop up in your mind.
Accept the Facts
Accept that study burnouts are normal and inevitable, and that you are bound to face them once in a while.
Admit the fact that burnouts is just another hurdle and though it can be combated, it can't be completely prevented.
Some naturally occurring processes are specially devised to regulate and do the 'maintenance' work of our minds.
Let's just consider these burnouts to be one of them.
Whenever we push ourselves too much, justice comes in full form to haunt us.
Again, let's consider burnouts to be that justice being done to bring peace to our exhausted mind.
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| Original image from Shutterstock |
How to Start Studying Again
Once you have taken a much-needed rest, it's important that you realize that you've just been through a tough time and that things are not going to be exactly the way you left it.
You have to start from the very beginning, from zero, from scratch.
Below are a few things to keep in mind when you are coming back to studies after recovering from a burnout.
Do 'Light' Studying to Warm Up
What I mean by light studying is to study the concepts that are easily graspable or complete the works which are not so difficult.
Completing those easy tasks helps you to get the motivation to study and build up the momentum. It also does not stress you too much when you have just revitalized from a burnout.
For me, light studying refers to solving simple math problems and writing tasks that do not require my 100% effort and focus.
It helps me do some progress, however little it may be, in a relaxed manner.
Lower your expectations
Now that you are starting all over again, you should not expect all things to be perfect.
Setting higher bars will only make it more difficult to satisfy yourself with the small tasks that you already have accomplished.
It will take some time to get into the groove or the mindset of studying and mistakes are bound to happen.
How to Prevent Burnouts
Take sufficient breaks
The best way to prevent future burnouts is to take the necessary breaks.
The reason why you have study burnouts in the first place is because of long, continuous study sessions.
Taking time to rewind and recharge is so important to maintain the flow and increase productivity.
Using all your time for studying does not help you perform better than using the time strategically to divide it into study sessions and breaks proportionately in a 5:1 ratio.
I talk more about this method of studying, called the Pomodoro technique here - How I Study for 6 Hours a Day ¦ 7 Tips to an Effective Study Routine
Bring in Diversity into Your Week
It is always recommended to keep at least one day in the week free of any studies whatsoever.
For me, that day is the last working day of the week, which is Thursday. I devote the time to myself and I don't bother about studies or grind my teeth over the next week's commitments.
It has brought a momentous positive impact on my life.
The most important reason why I believe this step is so beneficial is because it brings in diversity into your week.
Imagine having to do the same robotic things everyday. It is more lively to have a little change and dissimilarity in your week.
You can also prevent future burnouts by practicing relaxation techniques as mentioned above.
Conclusion
There are so many videos and other content on the Internet that give you tips on how you can study even when you don't feel like it.
Though that is a great tactic during limited time and last-minute preparations, I am slightly against that because there is an appointed time for everything and when your mind is fed up, it is not the time to try to force yourself to study.
Can't we see burnouts as an opportunity to give ourselves a longer break than how much we think we deserve?
Can't we see it as a chance to rethink our strategy and take on our time-management?
You should have the determination to be persistent in reaching the light at the end of the dark tunnel of burnouts and willing to even start again if you have to.
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