Overcoming Finals Fatigue & Academic Burnout
Overcoming Finals Fatigue & Academic Burnout: 4 Tips to Staying Motivated and Finishing 2024 Strong
2023 is out and 2024 is almost quater way done.
Exciting right?
It is not uncommon to feel pressed down by the weight of the just concluded finals week and the thought of the oncoming ones is forever ringering.
The tight project deadlines, tiresome study group sessions, exams and the looming uncertainty of your performance is always a weight on your shoulders on this hell week!
You are among the 20 million college students in America who struggle with end-year fatigue during finals week.
I want to show you how to acknowledge and manage the finals week crunch and get fired up for 2024!
Unfortunately, there is no going around it, you have to face it head on.
Luckily it is just a wind that will soon pass so, take a deep breath and let us figure out how to transform these pressures into opportunities for growth and success into 2024.
The fatigue may seem insurmountable, but here's a beacon of inspiration to light your path.
What is Finals Fatigue?
If you have been wondering, “why am I so tired during finals?” you are probably experiencing finals fatigue.
Everybody experiences stress during finals and fatigue is just part of it. It is when you feel overly tired, worn out, and anxious for no apparent reason.
About 80% of college students confirm they often suffer from stress.
Acknowledging its existence and causes of finals fatigue is the first step to gunner the motivation you need to step into the first semester of 2024 with a smile.
The fatigue during finals week often leaves students feeling overwhelmed, doubting their abilities, and utterly unmotivated to continue with college.
You have invested a lot of energy into the year and the excitement to wrap up coursework and dive into holiday mode is already creeping in.
Juan Siliezar a writer at Harvard interviewed some students and they confirmed they were excited to be going for holidays after finals week because the break was much needed!
It is, after all, the time when they get to reunite and catch up with loved ones, clear their minds, enjoy good food, and reflect on what is to come in the following year.
What do the symptoms of finals fatigue look like?
Finals fatigue can manifest in either of the following signs:
- Lack of concentration; absent-mindedness
- Troubled sleeping patterns- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night.
- Feeling emotionally overdrawn.
- Exhaustion- unable or unwilling to do mundane tasks like getting out of bed.
- Physical symptoms of sickness like chest pains, light-headedness, headaches or abdominal tension.
- Loss of appetite.
It is very important that you recognize these signs and give yourself the grace to experience these emotions without judging yourself.
Finals fatigue is a real thing!
It does not mean you are weak. In fact, it proves you have worked hard and dedicated yourself throughout the semester to finals week.
So, let us explore some practical tips and strategies on how to transform these challenges into opportunities for growth and success.
Year-end Fatigue: here’s how you can beat it (year after year) (careerwise.co.za)
4 Practical Tips for Overcoming Finals Fatigue: Nurturing Your Mind and Body
So, what should you do to get over the slump?
If you or a course-mate are on the brink of suffering a finals fatigue breakdown your priority should be to fortify your mind.
You need to think and act like a project manager and formulate a healthier relationship with the challenge at hand for the sake of 2024!
Here is how you manage year-end fatigue and beat it year after year!
Time Management Strategies: Breaking Down the marathon
Imagine you have to finish a marathon in a single sprint. Quite impossible, right?
Breaking down the entire semester to the finals week into manageable chunks will make the academic marathon conquerable.
I highly recommend you use the pomodoro time management technique as your sherpa to guide you especially during the finals week to maintain focus and productivity.
It will help you prioritize the most urgent tasks such as essay writing, project report preparations and ensure all important summits are conquered one at a time.
2. Mindfulness and Stress Reduction: Breathing Life into Serenity
Like we established, millions of other college students are sweating this final lap of the marathon, so take a moment and breathe.
During your study breaks, short mindfulness exercise is your mental oasis amidst the chaos of end-year finals week.
Amid the storm, practice deep breathing and meditation techniques to guide your mind into calmness; this is the lifeline for your mental stability.
Stretching or meditating during these breaks will also save you from burnouts while helping you keep a sharp focused mind.
After every few hours, take a prolonged break to go for a walk around campus or chat a little with friends.
3. Goal Visualization: Embracing Positive thinking about the Future
When everything seems to be falling apart, I want you to close your eyes and envision a very successful 2024!
Picture your mind as a canvas and your thoughts are strokes of color.
Visualize what you targeted for this end while pivoting your vision towards 2024 that will transcend the current obstacles.
Transform these short-term and long-term goals from abstract dreams into realistic, tangible and achieved aspirations.
I know, this might sound oxymoronic but trust me, the power of goal visualization is in feeling the triumph.
Keeping your eyes fixated on your goals will bring you so much motivation to fight on!
Your commitment should be to finishing the year strong by focusing on the path ahead.
The dreams and aspirations that you will enjoy after performing well on this stage of the academic journey.
It's not about denying the difficulties but about framing them in a positive light.
Remember, these challenges should be your stepping stones, not roadblocks.
Each struggle is an opportunity to strengthen your resilience, turning moments of adversity into milestones of triumph.
4. Self-Care Practices: Nourishing the Mind-Body Symphony
The mind-body symphony should be at the center of focus while pursuing academic excellence.
Simple self-care activities like adequate sleep, physical activity and proper nutrition are necessary and not a luxury.
At least 7-8 hours of sleep is the amount of sleep you need per night for optimal cognitive performance.
Throughout the semester, you should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day and maintain this through finals week.
Nurturing your physical well-being correlates directly with academic performance.
Regular physical activity will instantly improve your moods and reduce the stress of finals week.
Whether its going for a walk, attending a fitness class or jogging around campus for 30 minutes, ensure you incorporate physical exercise into the tight schedule.
What is academic burnout?
Have you ever woken up on a packed day but you immediately felt like going straight back to bed because you felt overwhelmed by the thought of doing anything?
You felt irritable and couldn’t seem to calm yourself down?
Everything felt like too much to handle including mundane tasks like showering.
That is exactly how academic burnout would manifest.
What causes academic burnouts?
Unless you are a freshman, you must have noticed how the pressures of college finals week and stress go hand-in-glove.
Professor Craig Jackson, who is an occupational health psychologist at Birmingham City University noted this burnout might be noticed by others citing “you’ve been on edge” before you realize it.
A guide on how to cope with academic burnout at university noted academic burnout might be caused by a combination of home and school life pressures.
The demands of submitting end-of-semester reports on projects, and writing papers all while preparing for exams is an extreme sport!
To most college students, the expectations to deliver on all these is simply enough cause of mental fatigue and sometimes shut down!
You simply cannot get yourself to do anything! The dominant thought is there is too much to be done and that whatever you do simply won’t cut it!
A burn out saps all your energy and motivation leaving you feeling cynical.
What are the common symptoms of academic burnout during finals?
Academic burnout manifests as mental, emotional, and/or physical exhaustion.
Academic burnout causes a drop in motivation paired with reduced performance and other times feeling negative towards yourself then follows.
Dr Mavunga of the Independent Institute of Education observed that end-year fatigue could lead college students to start slacking when they could least afford to.
She observed students were likely to start bunking classes and not participating in discussions for finals exams, procrastinating revision hoping to feel more motivated later.
They might check out entirely and just sleep or watch movies on this do-or-die period of their semester.
Engaging with the Community: A Collective Journey
Get help if you need it!
Finals fatigue and burnout might leave you feeling hopeless, like you are buried in a deep hole with no way out.
Most campuses have people on standby for such moments. Talk to them on how to ease the fatigue and fight the negative feelings weighing you down.
Assistance with academic side is also available online from online tutors or college lecturers.
Together, We Thrive
In this shared odyssey, your experiences and insights are not just valuable; they're a testament to resilience.
The comments section awaits your wisdom; share your tips and stories. Let's create a mosaic of support and camaraderie.
Social Media Rally
Beyond words, let's amplify our voices on social media. Use relevant hashtags to spark conversations. Ask questions that resonate with the collective spirit of the community.
Together, we can create a digital tapestry of encouragement, reminding each other that success is not a solitary pursuit.
The Tapestry of Togetherness
Expressing support for the community is more than words; it's the fabric of our shared journey. Your challenges are ours; your triumphs, our celebrations.
In this digital realm, let's weave a tapestry of togetherness, fostering an environment where every student is seen, heard, and uplifted.
From Inspiration to Action
As we wrap up this guide, let's distill the wisdom into actionable steps.
The journey ahead is not defined solely by the challenges but by your response to them.
Keep the flame of positivity burning brightly and share this guide with peers who may need a beacon of hope.
Your Journey Continues
Explore the path to academic support.
Beyond these words, the journey continues with the support of our essay writing services.
Explore the avenues that can further lighten your academic load.
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Conclusion
Dear students, as you navigate the final stretch, know that you're not alone.
Imagine approaching a challenging journey with the belief that you will conquer it. This mindset transforms the task from a mountain to climb into a series of achievable steps.
Positive thoughts are not merely wishful thinking; they're catalysts for action. Your efforts, struggles, and victories will be acknowledged and celebrated.
In every exam, in every essay, in every challenge, you're not just surviving; you're thriving.
When you believe in your ability to succeed, your actions align with that belief, leading to tangible outcomes that exceed your expectations.
Maintaining positivity during this time is akin to planting seeds of success in the fertile soil of your thoughts.
Nurture these seeds with affirmations, self-encouragement, and an unwavering belief in your capabilities.
The journey becomes not just about reaching the end of the week but about relishing the growth and learning along the way.
Until next time, may your spirit be resilient and your journey triumphant.