Combatting College Burnout

After the holiday break, many of us contract a disease that cripples our ability to be productive. And no, I’m not talking about the swine flu, I’m talking about senioritis. Whether you’re a senior in high school or a senior in college, now is not the time to slack off. You’ve worked so hard the past four years that it seems silly to throw all of that time and effort away just because you’re feeling a little lazy.

Tai Goodwin, ‘The Career Makeover Coach,’ has offered five tips (http://www.careerealism.com/7-signs-of-job-burnout-5-ways-to-fix-it/) to help fix job burnout, but these tips can also be applied to those of us who are still in school.

Get Real

“Acknowledge how you are feeling about your work-life. Journal it, talk about it with someone you don’t have to sensor yourself with, but stop holding it in. The more you try to ignore how you really feel, the more anxiety and frustration you will feel about your situation. The sooner you identify how you feel, the sooner you can address it.”

Talking about it helps. Whether its your mom, your brother or your best friend, once you voice your fears, you’ll feel a lot better. Are you freaking out about starting undergrad next semester? Yes, your first semester of college will be hard, but try to prepare yourself by thinking critically. If English is your worst subject, try to read a challenging book in your spare time. If math is what scares you, then meet with one of your teachers so they can help prepare you.

Get inspired

“Find a book, audio CD, or MP3 – something that tells someone else’s success story and read it or listen to it.  The focus here is to connect with their ups and downs on their journey and the challenges they had to overcome to reach their goals. Let their success motivate you to press towards your vision despite how you feel right now.”

If you’re starting college or grad school in the fall, take a trip there to get yourself renergized and motivated. If you’re about to take a job in an industry, shadow someone for a day to help yourself remember why you chose this career. Sometimes we just need a little kick in the pants to get motivated again.

Take Control

“Are there too many meetings and tasks on your to-do list? Become a guardian of your time and energy by mastering your schedule. Limit the number of meetings you have a day.”

The same could be said about extracurricular activities. Are you burning the candle at both ends? Take a good look at everything you’re involved in and what you can eliminate if you’re stressed out. Not having to run around constantly will help you become less stressed and focus on what’s really important here- your grades.

Play a Different Role

“Are you the team member that organizes everything? Or are you the ad-hoc tech support person for your team? Maybe you’re the one everyone goes to when there’s a last minute crisis. Taking on a specific role within your team may have boxed you in and now you can’t get out. Whatever hat you normally wear – take it off. Changing how you engage can change how you feel about your work and your colleagues.”

If you haven’t had a leadership role in an organization, try it out. Leadership skills are necessary for life- not only in college but also in the work force. Or maybe try getting more involved in your classes by speaking up more and answering questions. Not only will you probably do better in the class, you’ll remember the information better because you’re actively involved.

Make a Plan

“It can be really hard to stay motivated if you can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. Most people stay on the road to no where because they haven’t made a map to go anywhere else. Start putting together a plan for how you are going to escape or move into another role. It could mean going back to school, updating your resume for a lateral move within your company, expanding your professional network – the point here is to move from being dominated by feelings of frustration to a place of action.”

If you’re a senior in high school and are bored with the redundancy, try to focus on what next year holds. Make sure you have your housing situation figured out and learn as much about the campus as you can. Think of it as studying to have a good first year of college. If you’re moving on to graduate school, focus on getting the minor details settled so once you’re starting classes, you’ll be able to focus solely on your academics. Once you remember why its important to finish high school or undergrad, you’ll be more motivated. If you’re moving on to a job after college graduation, start honing the skills you need to move on to your career.

-- By Kara Apel