General Study Tips

How to Deal with Study Burnout

As students in this day and age, it’s quite common for us to juggle rigorous academic responsibilities and overwhelming extracurricular activities. As a result, we might feel burnt out. But what exactly is burnout? 

Burnout is when you feel physically and mentally exhausted as a result of constantly lacking the energy required to fulfill the demands of your studying.

Burnout can be broken down into three parts:

Exhaustion is what causes you to feel tired all the time and unable to concentrate. You could also get sick or have trouble sleeping.

Cynicism or depersonalization is when you feel disconnected from those around you, e.g. your friends and family.

Inefficacy is a decrease in productivity, efficiency, or quality of your work.

How do you know if you have burnout?

Symptoms may vary, but they include:

Being unable to absorb new information

Intellectual exhaustion

Decreasing academic performance and productivity

Feeling like you need to prove yourself

Making yourself work even more, even though you’re exhausted or being unwilling to study further

Neglecting your needs

Long term fatigue

Showing disinterest in things you normally enjoy, e.g. hobbies or friends

Denying that something’s wrong with you (may manifest in the form of aggression)

Avoiding social interaction

Feeling empty and depressed

What can I do to fix it?

Here are some short term solutions for dealing with burnout.

1. Take a power nap Power naps are life changing. They help you recharge your energy and get you ready to start working again. They also improve learning, memory, creativity, alertness, and mood. I would recommend napping for 30 minutes at most, because anything more will lead to a longer sleep session.

Optional: drink coffee before your nap - something that takes a short while to consume like a shot of espresso - so that you’ll feel alert and revitalized afterwards!

2. Take a shower A cold one will wake you up, but a warm one will calm you down. I suggest starting with warm water, then ending with cold water.

3. Exercise Whether it’s playing soccer or doing yoga, the important thing is to get moving! Exercise releases endorphins or happy hormones that help you combat stress.

4. Run a quick errand This will help take your mind off things while also getting something done! You’ll also end up walking, which is technically a form of exercise.

5. Call or visit a friend Sometimes what we’re lacking is social interaction, and hanging out with a friend definitely helps. Whether it’s providing you with a distraction or giving emotional support, your friends are always there to help you. Plus, science has shown that being with friends reduces your cortisol (stress hormone) levels.

6. Eat a snack Preferably a healthy one. Eat something with proteins, vitamins, and fibers to boost your mood. Here’s a list of mood boosting foods.

7. Surf the web This requires A TON of discipline, but it’s definitely a game changer. Surfing the web is one of the most relaxing things you could do. I personally look for a good laugh during my study breaks, so I’d watch a comedy or scroll through memes to get those happy hormones up and running.

8. Do an activity you find interesting, e.g. a hobby We all need happiness in our lives, and our hobbies are perhaps the best way to find that joy. You could sit down with a page turning adventure, or go outside and shoot hoops, or listen to a podcast, or even bullet journal, as long as you’re having a good time.

9. Listen to music Music is one of the ways we gain energy, so I always make time for it during the day. However, you should choose the right music, because not all the music you love is going to make you feel energized. For me, it’s pop punk with hard hitting beats, thundering guitars, and really upbeat, enthusiastic vocals. Some of you might be energized by mellow music with dreamy vocals that make you feel like you’re floating in the clouds. If you choose the wrong music, you might just end up feeling sluggish and drained.

10. Get some fresh air Your brain needs 20% of the oxygen in your body. Fresh air brings more oxygen to your brain so that you can think more clearly, feel less tired, and concentrate more easily.

How do I make sure I don’t get it in the future?

Avoiding study burnout in the long term has a lot to do with our study habits - as well as our daily habits. We need to make sure that our bodies and minds receive the things they need, and that we aren’t overworking them.

1. Study a little at a time Break up your notes into smaller, more easily digestible pieces and learn a little at a time. This way, you’re not overwhelming your brain, and you have time to let that new knowledge settle in.

2. Time management Having a good study schedule is crucial in preventing burnout. You don’t want to force yourself to work at your slow hours. Aside from that, you definitely shouldn’t leave things until the last minute, and sticking to a schdule will help you pace yourself. Here’s a post I wrote on How to Make an Efficient Revision Schedule and How to Beat Procrastination.

3. Get enough rest I cannot stress enough that sleep is so important for you. It improves your cognitive functioning and also enhances your mood, making it less likely that you’ll get burnt out. Make sure to take power naps, too, if you feel like you need them. 

You also really shouldn’t pull all-nighters. Sleep is also involved in cementing memories in your brain, so if you study a little before you sleep, you’re bound to remember more than if you studied a chapter during an all nighter.

Having trouble sleeping? Here’s a post I made about my night routine and how to get better sleep.

4. Cycle your study environments Your body and mind are bound to get tired from being in the same location for prolonged periods of time. The best way to fix that is to study in different places: at your desk, your backyard, the dining table, a cafe, a friend’s house, the library, etc.You should find a frequency that works for you. I like to switch it up every 2-3 days; some people change locations every week.

5. Eat well As I’ve mentioned before, healthy foods with protein, vitamins, and fiber greatly improve your mood and your physical health. Proper nutrition will give your brain the power it needs to push through. Also make sure not to skip meals; honestly you’ll just end up feeling terrible afterwards.

6. Take frequent breaks Let’s face it, we’re human, we’re bound to get tired from studying for a long time. Taking breaks enables our brains to digest the information we just learned in a pace that works for it. Breaks also help us focus on something other than studying, so that when we do get back to it, we’ll be ready to digest even more information.

7. Set realistic study goals You’re gonna memorize all 500 pages of your biology textbook in one day? Good luck with that. Some of you might be compulsive studiers, but this kind of habit isn’t very good for your brain or your physical health. Studies have shown that excess studying can lead to lower productivity, fatigue, and - you guessed it - burnout. In the end, this will result in lower academic performance, perhaps even in the long run. So instead of trying to study so much in one sitting or one day, break up your material into chunks.

8. Maintain your social life Wherever you lie on the introvert-extrovert spectrum, everyone needs social interaction once in a while. It keeps you sane and healthy. Go out with your friends, have a sleepover, or maybe even a study date.

9. Start the day right What we do in the morning can significantly affect our mood for the rest of the day. Sometimes we don’t even feel like getting up in the morning, or doing anything that day. One thing you should do is create a morning routine you enjoy to jumpstart your day. Here are 8 Morning Habits for Productivity.

10. Think positive When we’re feeling burnt out, it’s hard to not think negatively about everything. In reality, that just makes our condition worse. So think positively! Start small, like congratulating yourself for getting out of bed today, and then work your way up to bigger accomplishments, like finishing 2 chapters of your textbook.

11. Keep a stress diary This is kind of a new concept for me, but it’s really great. How it works is that each day, you would write down all the things that made you stressed and how they made you stressed. This will help you identify the things you’re doing that’s causing your burnout, e.g.

Too long study hours? take regular breaks

Too much time in the same place? cycle your study environment

Not eating properly? set aside time to eat healthy meals at least 2 times a day

Not doing the things you love? schedule in time for that, e.g. during your long breaks

Not getting enough human interaction? make a study group

Too much negative thinking? adopt a positive mindset (you can always start small)

Not getting enough sleep? fix your sleep schedule

And that’s all I have for you guys this time. Hope these tips will help you manage your stress and study burnout whenever you have them. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop an ask!

P.S. if any of you want to see the images in this post in better quality, click here (link to google drive)

Language learning and langblr tips from me

What to learn first when learning a new language

How to stay motivated when learning languages

How to learn a language with a different script

How to learn kanji

Vocabulary list topics

How to make vocabulary lists

How to expand your vocabulary

How to learn vocabulary and verb endings

How to improve your listening skills

How to practice speaking your target language

How to go from intermediate to advanced in your target language

How to learn two (or more) languages at once

How to learn all the languages you want

How to avoid mixing up languages

How to study languages with depression

How to practice speaking when you have social anxiety

How to study with a language exchange partner and what to talk about with them

How to study with Duolingo

How to make a language notebook

How to divide your language notebook/what to write in your language notebook

How to use bullet journal in language learning

How to find native speakers to practice with

How to know what level you are in your languages

How to start a langblr

Hi everyone it’s my first sharing and i’m so excited hope you like it 😊

How to Study when Stuck at Home

In light of the amount of schools/colleges being shut down globally thanks to the corona virus/covid-19, I thought a little info graphic could be of use to people! 

*click for better quality!

things i wish i’d known in my first year of university

I’m reaching the end of my time at university and it’s got me all sentimental. and regretful. There are a number of things that I had learned during my time at university that I wish I’d known during first year. 

Read everything. The only valid excuse for not reading everything on the reading list is that you didn’t have time, not that you found it boring, or that it wasn’t useful. Because there’s nothing scarier than trying to write an essay on something you studied a month ago, and you have no notes on the topic. 

Revise constantly. I wish I’d revisited everything I did a week after I did it, just as a recap. I tended to focus on what I was doing in the moment because it felt the most important thing at the time. Well, during exams, everything is equal. And it’s so frustrating not quite being able to remember something. So, revise. Even just for ten minutes.

Don’t spend all of your money on impulse. I’ve bought so much rubbish that I really don’t need. And if I’d saved that money, I could have gone on holiday. Save every last penny you can. 

Eat well. I just said that you should save all the money you can, but I think that food is one exception to that rule. Try and save money where you can, obviously, but don’t go for days and days without fresh vegetables because you’re saving money for a holiday. Your mind, as well as your body, needs food.

Go and talk to professors in their student hours. I used to find this so awkward. To be honest, I still do. But if you’re going sending them an email and asking for clarification on a topic, consider maybe popping into their office when it’s open to students. And tell them if you’re struggling! If you don’t let them know, then they can’t help you.

Take hot drinks with you, to your lectures or to the library. Don’t spend all your money in the library cafe. Bring a flask of tea, and loads of study snacks in a packed lunch box. Trust me on this.

Make time to meet up with friends you haven’t seen in ages. Don’t wait for them to ask you. I make sure to socialise with my friends at least twice a week. And by socialise, I don’t mean getting blind drunk and going clubbing. Sit down and have lunch together. Chat. Get to know each other properly. Friendships formed over alcohol never last as long as friendships formed through actual conversation.

Do stuff that the university puts on for students. Join societies. Get involved. One of the best nights I ever had at university was a masquerade ball that my college put on. And for some reason, I’ve never done anything like that since then? And I don’t understand why! University is for making memories, and I don’t really have many!

Travel around your university town. If you’re university is on a campus, don’t let your life revolve around that one place. If you’ve travelled away from home to go to university, then make it worth your while! See the sights, be a tourist, get on a bus and go to a random town and buy ice cream. 

Experiment. This is the time. Dye your hair blue, join a weird and random society and take up a hobby you’d never dreamed of.  If you want to try drugs, make sure it’s a safe environment and do your research before hand. If you don’t want to do that kind of thing, then don’t judge other people for doing so.

Give yourself a day off per week. When you’re at university and you’ve got loads of work, it’s tempting to just work constantly - or at least, to work every day, if not all the time. But it’s so much better for your mental state to take a day off to just relax. 

Keep up with your chores. When you’re stressed about an assignment, you don’t want to be also stressed about that pile of washing up accumulating by the sink. Keep your room tidy too - clear space, clear mind.

Be kind to everyone. You’re going to meet a lot of people at university, some you’re going to hit it off with immediately. But there will be some who really rub you up the wrong way. Don’t worry about it, it’s completely fine to not like someone. But don’t be mean to them. This isn’t high school, you’re all here to learn and there’s just no need to make them feel bad about themselves. It’s just petty and childish.

Think about the future. I know that you’re completely wrapped up in your university life right now, but you’re going to have to venture out into the real world at some point. Do things that might help your future career: volunteer, get a job, join a sports club, make connections. University isn’t, sadly, forever.

There you have it! The advice that I would have given myself in the first year of university. Whether you’re just about to start university, or whether you’re just about to leave, I hope this is useful to you.

he kinda 💅

how to *actually* prepare for back to school

ok so i go back to school v soon (august 7th to be exact) and here are some of my tips that i use to help prepare myself for going back to school.

start your routine. now. at least a week before your first day of school, get into your routine. get up when you’re supposed to and go to bed when you should (11 for me at the latest). as for the “school day,” busy yourself with reading, playing video games, working, the like. but try to get home when you would from school and kinda pretend like you’re back in school and “do homework” or workout or whatever you would do when you get home. starting that routine now will make it soooo much easier when the school year actually starts

figure out how much sleep you need to function and fix your sleep schedule. do i have to explain this one??? just don’t stay up until 2am the night before you’re first day of school because you’ll be screwed for the rest of the year :)

get your supplies. ok this one is a given. whether you’re paperless or not, get at least a folder to keep stray papers. i would also recommend having a separate folder just for lined paper bc you never know when you need it and idk about you but i hate ripping papers out of notebooks

get new clothes. you don’t necessarily ~have~ to do this one but it’s nice to have a semi-new wardrobe before you head back to school. when i wear something new, i feel more confident and i’m more excited for the day so it kinda makes me excited to go to school. 

pick out your outfits for the first week. this relates to getting new clothes. i like doing this (every week) because it’s one less thing i have to do/think about in the morning. plus it should make you excited for going to school because you get to wear your (hopefully) new clothes.

get your food!! i bring my lunch to school every day (yup, 180 days a year times 12) so before that first day rolls around, get some food for your lunch! whether that be a nice drink, some snacks, a fancy salad, or the like, just get it because it will also make you more excited for school

whiten your teeth. gotta have those nice pearly whites when school starts to show every how you glowed up over the summer

speaking of glowing up…skincare!!!! having clear skin makes everyone so much more confident so make that first day so much better by having clear skin. you won’t feel nearly as self-conscious and you’ll actually (maybe) enjoy the day. 

set out everything the night before. again, makes your mornings *that* much easier/better so you won’t be running late

have a positive attitude. yes it’s school and no one really likes going back to school but try to have a positive attitude about it. you’re one year closer to graduating, it’s a fresh start, you get to meet new friends, (hopefully) you’re taking classes you enjoy, and you’re getting back into a routine. yes school can be very stressful but hopefully, if you follow some of the tips above, it won’t be as stressful as it could be. 

best of luck everyone. i’m rooting for you :)

xo- gg

eleven little self care tips for students

Get enough sleep. Your brain needs it. Set yourself a ‘bed time’ and fall into the routine of going to bed and waking up at the same times each day.

Drink water and lots of it. Aim for 2 litres a day. This one’s easy, you can do it. Ditch the juices and carbonated beverages, just add a slice of lemon to your water if you feel like something fancy.

Allow yourself to switch off. Don’t be afraid to read books that have nothing to do with your studies. Go to the cinema. Work out. Take your mind away from your workload.

Take care of your skin. Wash your face every morning and night. Moisturise after every shower and bath. Don’t go to bed with your make-up on, no matter how tired you are.

Talk to your friends and family about something other than school. Don’t let your studies detach you from the things going on around you.

Work out. Even just once a week, or whenever you can. Go for a walk or a run, maybe just for 15 minutes. Follow along with a YouTube exercise video from the comfort of your own home or try out some yoga moves.

Make time for your hobbies. Studying is your full time job, but there’s plenty of hours left in the day. Don’t neglect the things you love.

Cook. Sometimes all we have time for is microwave noodles, but don’t fall into the habit of relying on the basics. You’ll feel the difference.

Don’t forget to laugh. Watch a hilarious film. See a comedian at a local venue. Watch funny videos on YouTube. Reminisce with friends. It’ll do you good.

Ditch the caffeine. Don’t rely on Starbucks. It’s delicious but you don’t need it. Save up all the money you’d usually spend on coffee and treat yourself to something instead.

Make your bed every morning. You’ll be grateful at the end of a long day when you can get into a cosy bed that doesn’t look like you just rolled out of it.

Cary Elwes + tummy

my masterpost | my studygram | ask me anything

[click images for high quality]

[transcript under the cut]

Other advice posts that may be of interest:

How To Study When You Really Don’t Want To

Active Revision Techniques

How To Do Uni Readings

How to Revise BIG Subjects

Keep reading