The Importance Of Self-Care For Students

Have you been experiencing any of the symptoms of student burn-out? Below, we discuss burn-out and the importance of self-care during college or university.

Whether you’re a freshman, a sophomore, or a senior, post-secondary education can be a stressful time in your life. Chances are, you’ll be juggling your school life, friends, a part or full-time job, and maybe even a family.

No matter how you look at it, these things can lead to a lot of stress in your life.

And if you don’t care proper care of yourself, it’s easy to find yourself feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, and overtired. All of which can lead to burn-out, if not properly addressed. 

Below, we dive into the best ways to care for yourself during college or university. But first, let's take a better look at burn-out and what causes it.

What Causes Burn Out?

According to HelpGuide.org, burn-out is a state of emotional, physical, and/or mental exhaustion.

Typically, burn-out is caused by prolonged or excessive stress. This is often linked to feeling overwhelmed and unable to function in daily life.

The cause of stress can vary wildly. However, it's not uncommon for college or university students to experience stress over their school work.

Burn-out tends to reduce a person's productivity and drains their energy, leaving them feeling helpless and unable to cope. So when a student experiences burn-out, the effects can be detrimental to their grades.

But, this isn't where the effects of burn-out end.

In fact, if not addressed, the negative effects of burn-out will eventually begin to affect other parts of your life. This is why it's important to understand burn-out. And know how to prevent it while studying in college or university.

So how can you prevent and/or treat student burn-out? The answer is self-care. With that said, let's dive into a few of the best self-care tips for students.

Relax And Unwind

Student life can be stressful for anyone. This is exactly why it's so important that you dedicate some of your time to resting and relaxing. And although it may seem counterintuitive, forgetting about your school life from time to time is important.

Whether you’re in the middle of working on a major research paper or you’re cramming for your finals, a little bit of R&R might just be what you need to help you make it through. 

Think about it, have you ever found yourself trying to study, but it felt like your brain just wasn’t cooperating with you? 

In times like these, rather than trying to force yourself to focus and getting frustrated with yourself, the best solution is to step back, walk away, and come back to it when you’re rested.

Maybe you need sleep, or maybe you just need to get up, walk around and get your blood flowing a bit. 

Either way, it’s important that you learn to notice when you’re tired and give yourself that much-needed break, which is vital if you get through school without experiencing burn-out.

Find affordable books to help you relax and unwind here.

Stay Active And Exercise

I know... Not everyone is going to love the idea of going to the gym... But the good news us that you don’t have to go to the gym to stay active and get a bit of exercise each day.

Whether you hit the gym or not, the important thing is that you’re staying active and getting some exercise, every single day of the week.

In fact, experts recommend being physically active for at least 20 to 30 mins per day, which is especially important if you're sitting in class a lot or have a job that requires you to be seated all day long.

Not only does proper physical activity ensure that you’ll be in the best shape you can be, but there’s also plenty of research to suggest that there are many mental and psychological benefits to staying active as well.

Get Out And Have Some Fun!

Above all else, it’s important to remember to have fun during your post-secondary years. 

If your only focus is on your studies, it's easy to lose track of other important things in life, like your family and friends, and even your own mental health.

Therefore, not only is getting out and having fun vital to enjoying your time in school, but it's also an important part of caring for yourself during the school year.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should forget about your studies and prioritize having fun over your school. But still, it’s important to understand that having fun and de-stressing is just as important as sitting down and hitting the books before a test. 

Taking Care Of Yourself During College Or University

Studying in college or university can be one of the biggest, most formative parts of a person’s life. That's why it's important to make the most of your time in school by taking proper care of yourself.

Without proper self-care during school, it's easy to experience stress and a sense of being overwhelmed, which can lead to student burn-out if not addressed in time.

That's why self-care is so important. So remember: relax and unwind, stay active, and have some fun while you're at it.