Introducing why Burnout is Relevant to the College Experience
Due to the excessive work put onto college students, burnout is a common issue within university students. Burnout is defined as “physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes towards oneself and others” (APA Dictionary of Psychology). It commonly occurs within students who deal with an abundance of work on their plate. In Health News, the data was reported that student burnout was at 71%. Young adolescents deal with many problems and tasks in their life as some may have to work part-time while also being a student. Individuals may be juggling many responsibilities and tasks that they tend to become physically and mentally exhausted with the number of duties. These individuals may feel overworked in many different aspects of their lives such as school, work, and personal life which then causes burnout.
How does it affect well-being and even work efficiency?
In the quick-paced world that is today’s society, burnout is often taxing on physical and mental health. Burnout arises due to a prolonged duration of stress which the body is not equipped for. Amidst deadlines, responsibilities, and even grades for college students, burnout can lead to problems such as “headaches, fatigue, heartburn…as well as increased potential for alcohol, drug, or food misuse” (Psychology Today). Today's society highlights the need for productivity, often leading to burnout as individuals are prioritizing work efficiency at the expense of their physical and mental wellness. In addition to physical and mental wellness, another aspect of life is negatively impacted: social connections. As Medical News Today found, burnout has a correlation to anhedonia, defined as “a loss of pleasure in activities that used to be pleasurable.” Social interactions and familial connections are the building blocks of life and key components of overall wellness. However, burnout leads to a feeling of isolation as if one is swimming in a sea of their own thoughts. Not only does burnout have physical effects, but the personal and mental health consequences from burnout are especially concerning.
There is also a sense of paradox within burnout. Although burnout arises because one is TOO productive, this in turn leads to less efficiency in turn. As burnout is a long period of stress, individuals in turn have a “a sense of dread about work and frequent feelings of cynicism, anger, or irritability” (Psychology Today). As an interviewee by Medical News Today states, “I was constantly worried about work but felt unable to do any, it led to anxious procrastination.” Thus, burnout is an endless cycle. It begins with the need to be extremely productive, leading to burnout which in turn leads to a minimization of productivity. When one feels low on energy, work seems impossible or even anxiety provoking to the point that one prolongs and even avoids what they must finish.
It is essential to take a long-term perspective. Although important to be ambitious and productive, how will one be able to profit off their hard work with a demoralized self? As Michael Gungor once said, “Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long.” Thus, despite the looming deadlines and the pressing responsibilities of daily life, it is essential to take care of oneself and allow oneself much deserved rest.
What are the signs of burnout?
In order to prevent burnout, one must be able to determine the signs of burnout. It is also important for one to distinguish burnout versus other physical or mental health conditions. The following are signs of burnout:
Physical and mental exhaustion- People affected feel drained and emotionally exhausted, unable to cope, tired and down, and do not have enough energy.
Physical symptoms: Chronic stress may lead to physical symptoms, like headaches and stomachaches or intestinal issues.
Changes to diet or sleep patterns: Can be eating less/more. Can also be seen if someone starts sleeping less or sleeping at varied times rather than a fixed time.
Frequent feelings of cynicism, anger, or irritability: Involves Pessimism, assuming the worst, being easily irritated about small things that otherwise wouldn’t have angered the person before.
Alienation from (work-related) activities: People who have burnout find their jobs increasingly stressful and frustrating. They may start being cynical about their working conditions and their colleagues. They may increasingly distance themselves emotionally and start feeling numb about their work.
Reduced performance: Burnout mainly affects everyday tasks at work, at home or when caring for family members. People with burnout are very negative about their tasks, find it hard to concentrate, are listless and lack creativity.
Remember that burnout can be seen differently in varying people. For example, some people may have tension headaches and others may not.
In addition, it is important to note that there is a clear distinction between depression and burnout. Not only is depression a diagnosable mental disorder and burnout isn’t, but burnout is also a response to a specific event or stressor. Signs of depression can be seen more generally throughout the person’s life while the cause of burnout can be easily depicted (ex. Increased work hours, too many assignments, not enough break time, etc. (Cohut).
How to tackle burnouts?
There are many ways to tackle burnouts. However, the most common ones are self-care practices and being able to look at the positives from the job at hand. Having a sense of purpose, one can be mindful of those aspects which in turn counteract the negative features of a job. Many people can also be mindful of what they are doing can have an impact on others; the feeling of making the world a better place. The self-care practices that can potentially tackle burnouts include mindfulness meditation, yoga, practicing self-compassion, or even dietary changes. There are many guided mindfulness meditations on YouTube as well as beginner yoga videos.
REFERENCES
Cohut, M. (2019, August 2). Burnout: Facing the damage of ‘chronic workplace stress.’ MedicalNewsToday.https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325943#How-does-burnout-affect-people?.
Psychology Today. (n.d). Burnout.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout.
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