Burnout. It’s a buzzword that is tossed around regarding pretty much everything – you can get burned out on a diet or exercise plan, with your friendships or relationships, with work, and with school. But how do we identify burnout, and more importantly, how do we overcome it?

I graduated from college in 2019, and until I was on the outside looking in, I didn’t realize that I was running on empty and experiencing burnout regularly. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be doing something. I was in, and often holding leadership positions in, many clubs and organizations, and constantly filling my free time with something “productive”. Looking back on it, this was only wearing me down and preventing me from actually enjoying the activities that I had committed myself to.

Post-grad burnout is a real struggle, too. I started out my career in a job that was mentally and emotionally draining, and reduced my motivation to a fragment of what it once was. That’s when I knew I needed to take a step back and take an inventory of my emotions.

Here are a few things that I learned along the way:

  1. Busy is not the same thing as productive. There, I said it! You can be a productive person without having every minute of every day filled with activities. If you are tired or burned out, your motivation and energy to perform just won’t be there. Believe it or not, you can be even more productive when you have down time to rest and recharge.
  2. A face mask really can be the solution. Self-care is so important when dealing with burnout, but there is no one-size-fits-all method. It is crucial that you take time to unwind and decompress in whatever way feels best to you. It can be as simple as painting your nails and doing a face mask, going to a workout or yoga class, or maybe calling a friend or going to see a therapist. Whatever it is that puts your soul at ease, do that.
  3. Sometimes the answer to burnout is to make major changes. There are times when burnout can occur because you are overworked, but there are also times when burnout occurs because you just aren’t passionate about what you’re doing. Maybe the answer to moving forward is to pivot into a new career that you’ve been dreaming of, or freeing up some time by quitting a club that your heart just isn’t in anymore. What better time than the present to make small (or big) changes that will make you happier in the long run?
  4. The only person you have a commitment to is yourself. If you’re anything like me, you are a people-pleaser and want everyone to be able to rely on you. This is a great quality to have – to an extent. One of my resolutions in 2020 is to say “no” to more things that do not make me happy, so that I have more time for things that do. At the end of the day, you need to feel fulfilled before you worry about others.

My most valuable piece of advice? Feeling burnt out can be frustrating and hopeless, but there are always better things coming. Keep pushing forward, and you will come out on the other side, stronger than ever.

Written by Sara Terwillegar