If it is half way through the semester and you are already saying, "Is this semester over yet?" or "If I don't do this assignment I think I will be okay?" then these tips are for you! College is fun, but overwhelming and hard. Here are 5 tips on how to avoid getting burnt out:
1. Making the Most of Your Morning - We all love to sleep in, but is it really helping you in the long run? Sure you may feel more rested, but did you know that over sleeping can make you more tired? Waking up in the morning and allowing your self extra time for more inspirational activities such as scripture reading, journaling, or even reading a book for fun is a great way to start your day! Instead of running out the door to catch the shuttle to class by preparing your mind and allowing your self to relax you are bound to have a better day all together!
2. Eating Healthy and Exercising Often - Taking time to take care of your self is important. By eating healthy foods and exercising you will not only physically feel better, but it is good for your mental health as well. Luckily here at The Landing our tenants are blessed with a fitness center right in the complex and two fridges in each apartment so you will always have enough space for all your healthy food. Take a look at one of the other blog posts featuring recipes that are perfect for any college student here.
3. Unplugging for a While (Particularly from Social Media) - Social media can be a fun place to keep up to date with friends and family, but it also can be a harmful place as well. Social media can also be damaging. Excessive social media use has been linked to mental health and low self esteem. President Nelson gave an awesome challenge to the women of the church in October 2018 General Conference entitles "Sisters' Participation in the Gathering of Israel" where he invited them to participate in a 10-day fast from social media. He promised that they would notice a change in the spirit that they felt and that their priorities would shift to better things because of it. Maybe 10-days is too long for you, but even taking an hour or 2 a day to being unplugged will give you awesome results.
4. Giving Your Self Rewards - When you are feeling burnt out it can be particularly hard to finish homework or even to sit down and do it in the first place. By giving yourself rewards while you work you not only will be more motivated but you finish, but you will see that you end up doing a lot more in a little amount of time. For example, buy your favorite treat. If you have a paper to write allow yourself 10 minutes to relax and enjoy your treat then get back to work and do it over again. Not only is your belly going to be happy, but your mind will be as well!
5. Get Reinspired by your Dream Job - Whether your dream job is to become a teacher, a doctor, or a writer get inspired! You can do this by either doing research online about those jobs or even shadowing their job for a day. If that is out of the question, BYU-Idaho has a ton of connections to alumni in your field and they might be able to connect you to someone who you can reach out to. Ask them why they love their job and how they got through school. They have been here and done this so they might have some great ideas for you! If this doesn't inspire you then maybe look into a different field of work. Then take action on pursuing what you really love.
