😢 I relate... I actively allow myself moments of relaxation, because I logically know that that eventually helps with overall health and productivity, but that feeling of guilt is still something I can't figure out how to handle/solve.
@@breathe4778 Start cleaning things. Clean, fold laundry, wash dishes, etc. You won't be guilty, and you'll be taking your mind off of work. Unless you would resist the temptation to listen to your textbook over audio like I do, then you'd still feel guilty.
I've personally seen that another symptom of burnout is the inability to take in new information or think critically during assignments. It's like when you realize you don't understand what you've been reading, but larger scale. I'm surprised this wasn't really mentioned.
I hate when this happens. I get more frustrated with myself that I'm not able to think rationally and take in information, and as a result that makes everything worse for me.
This comment was posted two years ago.. but I am currently dealing with this. I am sitting staring at my assignment that is due in two days and I cannot retain information. Ill make myself organized. I have a starting point, I start the research aspect of it. I sit to read the research and then its like I cannot retain any of the informtion. My brain is just too exhausted. At first, I thought I have senioritis. I graduate in about two months for my undergrad. But you just described exatly how I am feeling and it is debilitating. As ivan said. :(
I'm at the point where I don't feel anything the day before an exam, even though I haven't learned. No stress, no nerves, just emptiness.. Edit: I commented this 2 years ago, and a lot of people have been able to relate to it. However, I've found it does get better, really. It takes time and effort but after a while you feel the feelings return and you start to look forward to things again, even if it's just a little bit. Good luck with all you guys exams!
He says, don't bite off more than you can chew... we don't voluntarily take on truck loads of assignments in between trying to study for semester tests and do that research project that counts as an entire module... like if the only solution I'd taking a day off or so, something many of us cannot afford else we fail, then I really don't know what else to do, feels like there's really no practical solution, because taking time off really isn't an option else it's failure
At least you understand! All these burnout videos are so useless. That looks like a South African name by the way: are you from SA? I would guess from your comment that you're in medical school. 😉
I know what you mean. I personally recommend giving yourself the ability to consider failure as an option. I don't mean just give up, (please don't do that, it'll probably just make you feel worse), but I have personally noticed with myself that when I had made peace with the fact I might fail and that that doesn't make me a worse person, it really helped me take my time to relax and maintain my physical (and mental) health. After this I was far more equipped to handle the heavy workload and was better able to consider whether I was pushing myself to work hard and succeed or over-working myself into self-destruction. I understand you problems, but please, no matter what; pick your battles, allow yourself time to recover, and stay kind to yourself
🤫solution: hire a team of experts with particular skills to find the teacher and make them disappear for a day or two without access to telecommunication devices😏 Seriously though, provided I have the time available, I try to take time off work for major projects or exams. I either take the day of OR the day before _and_ day of. I also put my phone on airplane mode either that morning or the whole day til everything is done. Gives me time in the morning to sleep a little longer before I get back to homework (my courses are strictly online). I’ve burned through a great deal of my vacation time with my last three classes, but it allows me to recharge a little when I need it most. I also made the choice to do my school’s online asynchronous program. It’s all accelerated courses, but it means that the only time I *have* to be somewhere on time in the morning is for work and the one day I meet my trainer now. 😒I had to sacrifice my workout routine and diet for my current class.
I literally wake up every morning mad that im still alive and have to go to work and come back and study and this is literally gonna be my life even after college
samee. like now no matter what ill always have to stress about bills or work or for now college. like even if I grad/drop out, even without college there'll always be something there to make things miserable. junk doesn't even feel like its worth any of this tbh
After three semesters online, I’m pretty sure I broke my brain’s stress response. I feel nothing before an exam. Nothing. No panic or worry, no motivation or desire. I’m completely numb to it. I have a probability and statistics midterm today and I want to care but I can’t. I’m trying to recover from my burnout but it’s hard when you can’t truly stop.
@@yourmajesty7604 everything’s gonna be alright, I promise! Even though I didn’t believe I could, I recovered from my burnout. If I can, you can too, keep going
@@mari4nne thank you so much!!! I really appreciate it. I realized how much one needs to be kind to themselves when feeling burnt out. It's not intentionally being lazy or unmotivated. It's like a sickness that does it's own thing. I just hope that I can get pass each requirement, now matter how daunting they seem.
started with panic attacks, slowly fell into depression, I was facing these two problems since my high school days, I had no idea what was happening to me , still I completed high school and then during my First year in graduation, I was completely burnt out. Didn't attend college, father thinks I am being lazy, I went for counselling/psychiatric help, but father told to stop going for it. continued with college the following year, completed gradtn with low grades.Can't go for work, I get hell of a panic attack and anxiety even in normal social situations, so.. not earning money. Oh yeah am in hell !!! fighting a lone battle since last 10years
John I've seen worse happen, and people recover. Always remeber, the best thing about hitting rock bottom, is that you have nothing to loose, and there's no place to go,but up. I hope you are feeling better
Yes! Finally done with college homework and worked ahead. Now I'm free to have some fun. Oh. Wait. What's this? Ohhh, nevermind. More homework, more crap to study, no time to do any of it, cram a week's worth of studying in one day because the assignment is due in 24 hours and was posted on the exact same day. Weekend off from work? Spend it stressing out on college. Need sleep? Go ahead, sleep, just miss all your homework and get a failing grade for it.
EXACTLY. They say to sleep enough, but what the hell? I'd be more frustrated for the whole day if i slept without completing work. My teachers don't announce the small exam dates beforehand too, that's mad. I think they need to announce at least a minimum 4 days before.
I agree with you feeling very depressed with college right now. I'm even having thought of dropping out and pursue my passion but that would be a huge upset for my parents who want me to complete college. So the only thing that helps me relax and realize all the stress is when I workout it's what I like doing because it's just me and the weights. I forget about all my problems and focus at what I'm doing at the moment and I love the results I am getting. it makes me stronger mentally and physically. if you feel burnout with whatever it is just start lifting weights and you won't regret it. it has really helped me alot
how about Burnouts during final exams ? .. it's so hard to take long breaks between exams however you do it anyways cause you act as if you don't care anymore and you end up feeling worse than before U_U
This is my situation right now The most important exam of my life is less then 2 months away and I am just not feeling anything It feels like I dont care anymore eventhough i do i am panicking
When he started listing the symptoms of burnout I started crying, only the 4th week of my second year and I feel like it’s been months, my studies are become more of imaginary constructs that seem almost useless and my frustration seems futile. My stress is becoming physically obvious and I feel like every day is a exhausting battle that must be ended with a long hot shower in the dark… my stem major friends must relate to this feeling. College is rough, and I’m feeling some serious burnout, I hope that using these tips will help me. Thank you
@@H4K3R_ I admitted that I have a problem and sought help, pray ed and establish that motivation again. I looked at why I started university, how my life would be without my degree (it would be terrible) and listed the benefits I can gain if I finish my studies. Also sought therapy and its helpful because my psychologist is helping me work through my anxiety and handle my academic work load. Also get moral support, if you don't have someone to be there for you, you can message me on ig:andiswakuboni It'possible to get out of a burnout, be consistent and patient.
Personally I found burnout in myself and people around me is often caused by a combination of putting too much pressure on yourself and a lack of separation between work-time and relax-time. This makes the things from the study mentioned earlier in the video harder to deal with. It's often the problem that you may feel you have to fix/finish everything, which is not always achievable (especially not if you demand too much of yourself). Because of this, you feel guilty when you take a (longer) break, which makes you unable to relax and feel like you are wasting time, or you just don't want to take a break, because you feel you don't have time for that. If you do this for too long, you will likely build up symptoms of a burnout, especially if you also neglect you physical health by less sleep, food or exercise. The advice given in the video is good advice, but I found that it hard to do something with that advice as long as I kept thinking: "But I don't have time for that! I first have to finish these other things!" I recommend to re-evaluate if all the things you are trying to do are important enough to risk you health or mental well-being. Are the end-goals you are working towards really worth collapsing for? After you are able to also accept a bit less of yourself it becomes easier practice self-care. And remember, your self-worth does not have to be based on whether or not you have achieved this one goal... Be kind to yourself! You deserve it regardless of your achievements
When life gives you the primary route of pursuing money, you can't really worry about your mental health, only things you can really do is find ways to cope...
Stress, anxiety and depression have really been getting to me lately and i feel like I'm in the thick of it at the moment. All my friends left our home town to go to university while i stayed mainly because I had a good part time job and played sport at a representative level for my home town along with our university having a world renowned reputation. 'm currently in my second year of doing a law and business double degree and am experiencing major assignment overload, along with missing all my close friends who are miles away. The stress and anxiety have affected my performance in everything, i don't find joy in most things i do anymore and i have broken sleeps where i wake up at random times because of the worry about assignments that are coming up or are due soon. I feel like i can't talk to anyone abut these feelings as i don't want to sound weak, talking about your feelings for a male where i come from are generally frowned upon by everyone, especially if you are good at a 'manly' sport (I play rugby). Also those that I would feel comfortable talking to about these feelings are miles away and i don't want to burden them. I feel lonely no matter who is around. Sorry for the long random comment i just really felt the need to vent my feelings anonymously.
vännen I really hope and pray you found some support and love for your life again.. your happiness is worth more than what others will think of you if you reach out for help 💓🙏🏽🌞
Hey Thomas, thanks for putting up such great videos! I have a video request: OCD/Anxiety and Studying. Sometimes I get so caught up with figuring out how to make my notes/task lists/reward systems perfect that I spend more time on that than actually doing assignments and whatnot. Maybe you'll be able to come up with some time management or idea organization tips. Thanks a bunch!
I can relate... Sometimes I'm like "Damn I really need to start working on school but I don't know which assignment to do first.. Guess I gotta make a to-do list / planner first" and then 2 hours later I've finished the planner and it's all looking fancy and neat, but I don't have any time left to do the actual assignment..
Oddly enough I've found cleaning my space, my room, doing the dishes and getting everything looking cleared out and organized actually motivates me to get more done, and it keeps me from stressing out too much over assignments and work. And I'm a guy... so. yeah.
I am past the stage of burnout I have as a RESULT ended up being physical sick and I ended up missing more school which made me even more stressed now I am at a stage where I am overloaded with homework and exams but I decided to keep calm get back to being my old self and go with the flow . Above all make sure you guys are healthy and positive :) Spread positivity no matter what .
This doesn't work if you have 7 exams in 4 days ( 3 on monday,2 tuesday and then more 2) and 2 day weekend to prepare for them.I really hate my life. :)
I never buy this because the syllabus tells you exactly what you're walking into months out. They don't just drop them on you on Friday. It's our responsibility to prepare adequately before hand and create systems that work for us and don't use "proximity to exam" as the fuel of motivation.
@@EliteRowmaster So, true! People always find the reason to blame, to put their responsibility on the shoulders of other, to simply be a victim who wasn't aware of a word called syllabus:P
Thomas Frank, I have never ever seen someone put out such good videos on studying techniques for college students. I would like to take the time to thank you for all your efforts. Your touching on a subjects that I can benefit from. I am a Human Biology major at California State University Bakersfield. I have been diagnosed with ADHA; plus a case of college burn out, but your videos now has given me new life.
This is exactly what I needed to hear and watch. I've had to emergency drop a class and been recommended to e-drop another class because of an expected (but ignored) burnout. My body started giving out and I was more sick that I've ever been my whole life. Bottom line, I've been feeling really shitty after this week of having to go through meetings with professors to play catch-up and having to trek through excuse email upon excuse email.... it's a horrible feeling and has left me feeling helpless but this video makes me believe that this problem is really common and maybe it's okay that I take some time for myself this quarter. Thank you.
2:49-52: "...you do have limitations, *just like the rest of us*. And if you go beyond those limitations for too long, *there are consequences*." I felt like an evil cult was threatening me when he said that.
I burned out so completely this past year from a combination of an over-loaded course schedule and dealing with illness in a close family member that I'm having to retake my final year >.> Sorting out paperwork and one last assignment at the moment, and then hopefully I've got the whole summer to get my head on straight and come back fighting in October - thanks for the tips Thomas.
Thank you for the punctual definition of burnout. I couldn't relate to a lot of other videos on the topic but you summed up the way I've been feeling for two years perfectly.
"Everything makes you tired, you don't care about anything and everything sucks" I already had some built-up stress and misery today, and feeling so seen by a statement made so directly literally made me cry
great tips !! taking short breaks also makes me more productive in my course work...I work full-time, mandatory on call and go to school...it ain't easy...but I fully agree with being organized...it really helps....good to know that I'm not alone in my volume of work load.....thanks for the awesome tips dude
Thank you for the video as an academic, I am a researcher, during this lockdown I clearly started to burnout. Probably this was already initiated few months before the lockdown. I clearly see a lack of interest and a loss of that passion that kept me up all night willing to know more and is a disgrace because I loved my work. But I think you open me my mind, I have limits and I stretched for more than 8 years these to accomplish more. Academia is really bad because has a bad balance between commitment and results. You have to invest so more of yourself to get really little at the start of your career and I think this is something that is hard periods like this one is more cristal clear. Good luck with you channel!
Hey Thomas! Thanks for the great and useful effort that you always make including podcasts,books and videos. Can you please make a video about how to know if you're in the right major? I'm currently in pharmacy school and I need help with deciding wether being a pharmacist is actually the right job for me? You know it's a life time thing and it's important to take the right path.
Gloria Ha. great idea! Cal Newport and I talked a bit about this on episode 35 of the podcast, which you can listen to here: collegeinfogeek.com/cal-newport/ - but I'll note the idea down and see if I can get a video made on it sometime soon :)
hi Thomas, im a 14 year old boy from Brazil and i'm going to hight school next year. I didn't even knew what was a burnout, but when I watched your video I found out what was happening to me. I was really busy, I was doing pilates twice a week, basketball 4 times a week and stayed at least 5 hour on the "club", I went to school and stayed hours there, and when I got home I needed to do my assingnements, that in this case was huge. And after all I wanted to sleep. this schedule had repeted over the whole year and I had a burnout. i'd quited basketball, pilates, and was feeling depressed. I talked to my parents about this and to my ucle (he is a psycologist), now im watching your videos as well and all the content you produce I dont know why, make me feel better. Now Im having lot of fun, reading more books etc. Thank you very much.
Hello! I just want to thank you! I have been struggling a lot with stress and lack motivation and have been dangerously near giving up several times! But your videos have really helped me out, they are filled with great advice, motivating material, useful techniques and all of that presented with an ounce of humor that truly makes the information stick a little better! Once again, thank you!
When he says a task with progress, he means something like a sport that you could improve on; for example mastering a one handed backhand in tennis, or something completely different like learning esperanto. Even though it's mental, you feel like you can learn at your own speed and don't worry about anyone else, you get that flow state that really sets you up for the next day. Great video Thomas, felt like I was hitting that burnout level after taking on extra tasks for group work. Also guys, if you're one of those that does nothing in a group and just lets someone else do it all for you, you're a simp.
No wonder I suddenly lost all my stress and worry and concern half way through last semester. I still studied hard and tried but I never felt worried. And this semster I don't feel motivated by the risk of getting a low grade in a class. 0:37 expains how I've felt for a really long time. Thanks for the video and the info, Thomas
As a homeschooling mom this is about the time of year where I start getting burn-out. It's not the workload that gets to me, but wanting to be outside enjoying spring or working on projects around the house instead of lesson planning, correcting papers, etc. It helps to write down markers at the beginning of the year as to where we need to be at different parts of the school year. This year we are actually ahead of schedule and should be finishing lessons at the end of April. Oh happy day!!
Thank you for creating this space that not only allows one to learn about ways to be more productive but it also encourages one to learn about ourselves as students/learners in this never ending learning process! As a grad student, one of the most difficult skills I had to learn (and I am still working on it!), was to learn how to create my own schedule and my own deadlines (It is a lot harder than I thought!). So, I was wondering if you could create a video about the way you work/plan when it comes to starting a new project, in which you are behind the creative aspect of it and the one doing it, as well. Thanks!
You're totally right. I'm going through this right now. I have a philosophy of education to only take classes that I think I'll learn from. Going off of this Logic, I decided not to take BS classes my senior year and to basically overload my schedule with writing intensive courses and extracurricular activities. While I don't regret this decision, because I've learned an immense about myself and reality that I wouldn't have found out otherwise had I been taking BS courses, I realize now that I REALLY need to be more careful when I take on responsibility. I need to take things one step at a time, do little things, not kill myself in the process. On the bright side, I have been experimenting with waking up early and now am motivated to ALWAYS start work right away. I think the positive of a college burnout Thomas is that it makes you super aware and conscious about yourself as a person and your flaws and strengths. Now that I know this, because I allowed everything to get crazy, I'll never procrastinate as seriously as I did. Thanks man. Send some good vibes my way, I could sure use em.
Yo this is sooo me right now, two weeks before a very important exam... The really hard thing is to apply all of these tips, because it's like a loss of time, I'm forcing myself to do them, but I always end up regretting and feeling even more stressed. By the way, that's interesting how I first think about this channel when I'm dealing with some professional issues, or searching for some tips, hhmm I should subscribe!
I spent 10 years in college studying registered nursing then did a bachelor's and master's in psychology. I started having visits to the ER near the end. I am in bed as I type this--a month after finishing school. Listen to him...good advice!
I love the advices in this video and really wish I could go out on a 3 week vacation right now! Oh, that would be amazing! I'm in the middle of PA school and my course doesn't really have breaks. we work January to December with only 6 weeks of holidays scattered in 2 week blocks through the year. Now that the end of first year is coming I'm really feeling burned out and disinterested with most things even though I love the course. And what is worse, my finals are in two days :(! Thank you for the motivation, in 48 hours I'll have some much needed free time..
I think one of the best things you can do if you are really feeling overwhelmed is to go out on a hike somewhere, find somewhere quiet and just slow your breathing down and try to meditate. Really helps me look at things more critically and identify problems causing the stress or burnout
Hello Thomas! Just want to say thank you for making this channel and the videos and podcast too. Thou I really hope that I found your channel earlier since I already at my last year of college (i hope so) but I think all of your tips can be applied throughout life. Thank you for being awesome and inspiring.
A lot of people seem to be watching this amidst their exams. In my opinion the strategies in this video a more preparatory and preventative than they are remedies to situations where it's too late to plan any time for recreation and de-stressing.
So THAT'S what i've been dealing with! Too bad i didn't see this at sooner date but better than never! But i was wondering, how do you deal with the guilt of not doing your work? One thing that really gets to me beside the ever growing workload is the guilt i feel of not getting it done fast enough, and is always at the back of my mind when trying to relax making the stress worse :/ BTW awesome video, got yourself a new subscriber, keep it up!
Hey man, you've been dealing with this problem for at least 5 years now! That's an insane amount of wisdom! Please give us an update on your situation.
Well, I'm from Europe so we might have a different definition of the term but what you describe as a burnout falls short to what I experienced... Of course I had all that, but add I'm-gonna-kill-myself-migraines, asthma and panic attacks several times a day... from 2 to 5 (5 being the amount that landed me in the hospital, where I was diagnosed with burnout...) and I can assure you that taking a break did not help much... It actually took me two years to get well again, being that I had to have a job and did not quit school after it happened. So, exhausted students there, just know that it can get really bad. Really really bad. +Thomas Frank is right, pay attention to the signs he described, but also know this : school and exams are not your life. They may seem like the most important things right now, but they aren't. Your health and well-being are what matters. There is litterally no point in having a diploma and not the will to get up in the morning to use your hard earned skills... After two years of stuggling I took a year off (my family made me cause I wouldn't give up) and suddenly the sun shone again... Just sayin' ...
Allison B. I feel your pain. I don't think we have a different definition here in Europe. Burnout simply differs in severity and symptoms. But you're right, if you get to the point of actual burnout it can take a lot of effort to recover.
Can I pls ask you what helped you to win the battle with the burnout. I am in a very serious burnout with anxiety and panic attacks since December last year but first the house doctor told me Is stress so I kept working and studying, planning to many exams one after other without knowing I was having a burnout. I have pain in my muscles, foot, hyperventilating, head aches, etc I cannot sleep properly and of course a lot of fears. Pls tell me how long it took for you to recover and what helped. I did a therapy with a psychology but it didn’t help much. I have some good days when I feel ok but then after that I relapse and seems worthless. I am now at home since July cause the doctor advises me to stay home . I would be so glad if you can help me with advices or tips. I do a lot of exercise in the gym , going out for walks and of course when I cannot handle it I take some calmants mostly natural ones. Greetings, Elena
Can I pls ask you what helped you to win the battle with the burnout. I am in a very serious burnout with anxiety and panic attacks since December last year but first the house doctor told me Is stress so I kept working and studying, planning to many exams one after other without knowing I was having a burnout. I have pain in my muscles, foot, hyperventilating, head aches, etc I cannot sleep properly and of course a lot of fears. Pls tell me how long it took for you to recover and what helped. I did a therapy with a psychology but it didn’t help much. I have some good days when I feel ok but then after that I relapse and seems worthless. I am now at home since July cause the doctor advises me to stay home . I would be so glad if you can help me with advices or tips. I do a lot of exercise in the gym , going out for walks and of course when I cannot handle it I take some calmants mostly natural ones. Greetings, Elena
Can I pls ask you what helped you to win the battle with the burnout. I am in a very serious burnout with anxiety and panic attacks since December last year but first the house doctor told me Is stress so I kept working and studying, planning to many exams one after other without knowing I was having a burnout. I have pain in my muscles, foot, hyperventilating, head aches, etc I cannot sleep properly and of course a lot of fears. Pls tell me how long it took for you to recover and what helped. I did a therapy with a psychology but it didn’t help much. I have some good days when I feel ok but then after that I relapse and seems worthless. I am now at home since July cause the doctor advises me to stay home . I would be so glad if you can help me with advices or tips. I do a lot of exercise in the gym , going out for walks and of course when I cannot handle it I take some calmants mostly natural ones. Greetings, Elena
Dude the fact that you care that much that you wrote a YT comment about that is amazing, with ethic like that, you'll sure to have years of stability to come
Literally in the midst of a breakdown and watched this...hopefully in the future I can catch myself before I get to this place. I’m overwhelmed with work, school and family...it all seems impossible right now
I'm in high school and sometimes I try to do more than I can. I have a lot of courses, all the time, so there are no breaks from the school work. In the weekends and during holidays I manage to have fun though, I do have friends at school and my family is supportive. But in the evenings I feel like I have nothing else to do than to read, study, do homework... Plus there are other things I have to take care of. Usually after a holiday I feel refreshed but when a few weeks have gone, my sleeping schedule is terrible, I feel tired all the time and then I lose interest in studying, slowly other things too. I've tried to prevent this, maybe it has got a little better, yet I still need to work on keeping myself happy and healthy. Thanks for the video! I'll try to remember to take breaks and keep myself motivated :)
This video couldn't have come at a more perfect time! I have to take a summer class and I feel like I just finished spring semester! Thank you for this video!! :)
I got accepted to the best Uni in my state and over the week of my acceptance, my family was scrambling around unsure what to do. As such, they had me handle a bunch of things relating to the college, basic stuff like my schedule and all that, but then they pushed even more onto me as the week went by. Stuff like managing my dorms, my meal plan, getting scholarships ready (as we aren't really all that wealthy, so we need the financial aid), and even after I moved in, getting even more things from people and trying to keep myself motivated. But, by the time my first week here ended, I was completely burnt out. For doing absolutely everything for two weeks straight, with no time to myself as my family would barge in while I'm trying to relax back home, or call me and text me more things to do even after I moved out, so I had no time to just unwind. Now, my dad is taking some of the weight off my shoulders, but it's too late. I have assignments due later today, a quiz I haven't studied for tomorrow, and even more stuff due over the coming week(s). I'm already falling behind in all of my classes, even despite my desire to do better up here than I ever did back home on my first day here. It's been two weeks of this burnout, and despite my best efforts, and attending class every time I have it, I just can't seem to bring myself to do anything. All I do is read comics online and play the occasional game.
What I did was just taking a few days off school (I didn't have class anyway but I had to work on a deadline) and hang out with my friends, read stuff that I like, and basically enjoy the day. With no work to interfiere. I had a deadline project on tuesday this week which I had to work non stop for like a few days or almost a week. And now I have another one tomorrow. I needed that time and now I can work peacefully without being worried about having to work or not getting enough time for myself. :) End of second semester is like hell. :)
The only way to avoid assignment overload is to take fewer classes or drop out. I've always struggled with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, and going back to school at the age of 28 made it worse. The added financial burden, lack of income, and lack of independence you become used to in your twenties being taken away was also a major factor for me. However, there is no avoiding these issues: it's part of the university package. I started taking fewer courses and want to re-establish my exercise and meditation routine (that went to crap in my first year). Hopefully that will help a bit.
What if I can't make myself settle down from coursework overload? I'm not a university student but I'm dealing with this issue of overload in coursework. Right now, as I'm writing this comment, I'm practically wasting my time, because I have school tomorrow, with like 6 stuff or something to get done, but... screw it all. I want to make for myself the time while the term is still going, but I can only do that if a public holiday is announced. On a school week, I wake up, go to school, do my stuff there, go home, get unwind, get a nap, do homework, try to squeeze some periodic studying and hit the sac early because I have to do everything again till the weekend, and even the weekend is spent doing schoolwork, most of the time. The worst part of it all is I can't complain, my teachers will tell me stuff about how it's normal since I'm a Cambridge int'l AS level student and my family will most probably say how it's normal to do that since I'm going for a qualification. I even bought a Harry Potter book to calm myself down and recharge my batteries somehow but I've been told that I act as if I'm a person with a lot of free time. I'm not saying I can't motivate myself, but I honestly feel fed up, but I can't do a thing about my course load and I'll just get to school tomorrow and most probably say, 'screw it' to the chemistry lab. thanks Sighs... By the way, for putting these stuff up. It makes me feel better to know that this problem isn't just me being a spoiled brat.
I’m been working and studying non stop for months and yesterday I came home at 1 and passed out till 12pm today. I missed revision sessions and so forth. I feel so dead inside.
I just want to say that your videos and especially your book are awesome! Even for me, a Dutch high school student, your tips are pretty helpfull! Keep doing the great work!
Okay but most of your tips are time consuming, breaks and holidays I'm dreaming about it. I'm about to burn out because *I have no time to stop*, the Work hard, Play hard rule is replaced by Work hard, work harder.... and I have to go on like this for two more months. I'm efficient af so I can't even improve my efficiency to cop with it. I mean I wasn't really expecting a solution coming here and I know that I just have to wait another two months before feeling alive.. My biggest motivation is that, like you said, I overloaded in order to challenge myself, and I know that if I can bring it to a success, I'll be able to do just about anything afterwards. That's the only thing that still makes me wake up in the morning, I can't fucking lose.
I've thought about this a lot, and one of the reasons I fall into the burn-out hole is mainly because of how I have learned to motivate myself. I essentially treat everything as a problem to be fixed, including my education; I am fixing my ignorance! When you view almost all activity as addressing some problem or need, your life becomes exhausting. Eventually this view begins to negatively impact your performance. It affects your concentration, focus, attitude and outlook. It can feel like you are being buried, and no matter how hard you work, you can't seem to dig yourself out of this hole. The problems keep coming faster and faster (increased workload), and the problems are getting harder and harder. Eventually you reach the point where you are slipping so far behind, you feel completely lost, and like a failure. I have type I diabetes, which acts like a stress amplifier. My stress level increases, then the management of my diabetes suffers. My blood-sugar control gets worse, then I feel like crap. This leads to a lot of physical exhaustion. I begin to slip further behind, and things get even harder. It's a pattern I keep falling into. I had burnout so bad one semester while in school, I began having suicidal thoughts, and decided to go talk to a counselor. If anyone is wondering, my major was Electrical Engineering. I persevered and got my degree but it took me 6 years to do it. I remember when I started college, I loved learning. Then by the end, I felt like my "love for learning" had been beaten out of me by the system. I still struggle with dealing with job stress. No escape, no hope. It's like running a marathon with a sprained ankle.
This can really happen over night when you have severe anxiety, my freshmen college year started 2 weeks ago and i already have 4 tests, 2 projects and books to read, i’ve been trying to study as much as i can but it feels like i learn nothing, this is too much
Keep trying to push bro, it's the least we can do... I've been dealing with this for 2 years now, but we gotta have faith because that's all we got, do me a favor and try to make a new friend, wether that's online or IRL, people are great resources for wisdom because they come from all walks of life, not one person story is the same as the other, do your best to learn from as many people as possible, the good and the bad.
3rd year 1st semester of online classes, I had burnout because of the amount of reading assignments and workload. But the burnout gradually built up and was as its peak on the remaining two weeks of the semester. I missed 3 classes because of it. Now, I'm in 3rd year 2nd semester and we had the same professor for two courses and this professor is the kind where he gets really upset, really quick, and is insulting almost every single one of us if you don't get the answer right, and he's been unreasonably VERY ANGRY. That was still the first meeting of all of his two courses. Guess whose so done with the semester now 🙃 I don't even have the energy to study anymore.
Thank you so much for your videos! I love your positive attitude. I'm definitely in the midst of student burnout, and found some of your tips helpful. My problem is that I work part time and go to school full time and don't have time to free myself from my disorganized lifestyle. I find myself giving up, feeling demotivated, discouraged and tired so much quicker than I would have a month ago. I agree that setting up a schedule and setting up a system would help, but I just don't have the time. I feel the pressure to get through my classes quickly because I've already been in school so long and I'm in my mid20's, but I also feel the pressure to support myself because I'm in my mid20's. Any suggestions or tips?
I realize that this video is 2 years old; however, I was surfing for some type of support. I like 9 weeks of college and am so burnt out! I'm just tired of school. 4 years and still overloaded with work, and just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I cannot focus on my work. This really scares me because right now I am a 3.95 GPA student and afraid I am going to lose it because I am losing my mind. Just needed to vent a little. Thank you for this video.
Definitely been dealing with burnout due to coursework overload my classes either have me reading and quizzing on 30-40 pages before class everyday or papers due each week (I wish that was an exaggeration) wish I would have dropped some but I could handle in the beginning but all classes picked up speed at the same time
When i feeL heLpLess u appear! 💗 its exactLy how im feeLing "burnt out" aLready aLthough... so unfortunateLy the tip wont work for me in these 5 days! i have no concentration at aLL i feeL sLeepy i procrastinate a Lot & at the same time feeL stressed out at the tight scheduLe i've got when i have nothing to do but study & this is my 5th time repeating this particuLar exam in 2 years & its Like i keep Losing hope nothing motivates... if i don't go through this exam i can't continue to the next LeveL... im studying medicine in Baghdad... Thanks for ur videos & ur free book i can't beLieve how much u are wiLLing to heLp random peopLe of the internet! 💗💗💗
How I avoid burnout: -Take breaks -Take less classes in a semester (know your limit) -If you can, plan ahead in putting time consuming/ very difficult professors mixed with easier or less time consuming courses to balance out the workload Before I use to be so burnt out that I could barely sit up to eat breakfast and I could sleep anywhere cause you’re just that tired. I would’ve ended up in the hospital if I kept up over pushing myself.
In my first 2 days of class, I've had 2 tests and 2 quizzes. Not to mention 4 online tests. Stress out the butt, however I'm attempting to learn to transfer the stress I'm feeling into a sense of excitement. Funny how the mind works, instant ease. And I'm a single father with custody of my kid, and absolutely no family interaction, or assistance.
Taking breaks makes us feel guilty Thomas.
😢 I relate...
I actively allow myself moments of relaxation, because I logically know that that eventually helps with overall health and productivity, but that feeling of guilt is still something I can't figure out how to handle/solve.
do something productive in your breaks, start an enjoyable hobby! :))
I hate the human mind
God I hate study guilt
@@breathe4778 Start cleaning things. Clean, fold laundry, wash dishes, etc. You won't be guilty, and you'll be taking your mind off of work. Unless you would resist the temptation to listen to your textbook over audio like I do, then you'd still feel guilty.
I've personally seen that another symptom of burnout is the inability to take in new information or think critically during assignments.
It's like when you realize you don't understand what you've been reading, but larger scale. I'm surprised this wasn't really mentioned.
this is so true man
I agree with all of you
I hate when this happens. I get more frustrated with myself that I'm not able to think rationally and take in information, and as a result that makes everything worse for me.
Exactly...
This comment was posted two years ago.. but I am currently dealing with this. I am sitting staring at my assignment that is due in two days and I cannot retain information. Ill make myself organized. I have a starting point, I start the research aspect of it. I sit to read the research and then its like I cannot retain any of the informtion. My brain is just too exhausted. At first, I thought I have senioritis. I graduate in about two months for my undergrad. But you just described exatly how I am feeling and it is debilitating. As ivan said. :(
I'm at the point where I don't feel anything the day before an exam, even though I haven't learned. No stress, no nerves, just emptiness..
Edit: I commented this 2 years ago, and a lot of people have been able to relate to it. However, I've found it does get better, really. It takes time and effort but after a while you feel the feelings return and you start to look forward to things again, even if it's just a little bit. Good luck with all you guys exams!
Same
Honestly, that’s me right now. 9 exams back to back taking place within less than a month. I’m just exhausted 😭
@@Tasy9824 how did they go?
Anantam Bisht they were alright! Some went better than others but, I feel like I did ok :) just have to wait 2 months for my results 🤷🏻♀️
@@Tasy9824 which course btw?
"Everything makes you tired, you don't care about anything and everything sucks"
Well fuck that about describes my entire life
I guess something is wrong for you since early. Good Luck!
@@andrebrito8884 that was probably the worst and least helpful reply I’ve ever seen
@@jdubz-zm6ik ikr
@@andrebrito8884 Dude, seriously!?
He says, don't bite off more than you can chew... we don't voluntarily take on truck loads of assignments in between trying to study for semester tests and do that research project that counts as an entire module... like if the only solution I'd taking a day off or so, something many of us cannot afford else we fail, then I really don't know what else to do, feels like there's really no practical solution, because taking time off really isn't an option else it's failure
At least you understand! All these burnout videos are so useless. That looks like a South African name by the way: are you from SA? I would guess from your comment that you're in medical school. 😉
I know what you mean.
I personally recommend giving yourself the ability to consider failure as an option. I don't mean just give up, (please don't do that, it'll probably just make you feel worse), but I have personally noticed with myself that when I had made peace with the fact I might fail and that that doesn't make me a worse person, it really helped me take my time to relax and maintain my physical (and mental) health. After this I was far more equipped to handle the heavy workload and was better able to consider whether I was pushing myself to work hard and succeed or over-working myself into self-destruction.
I understand you problems, but please, no matter what; pick your battles, allow yourself time to recover, and stay kind to yourself
So true
🤫solution: hire a team of experts with particular skills to find the teacher and make them disappear for a day or two without access to telecommunication devices😏
Seriously though, provided I have the time available, I try to take time off work for major projects or exams. I either take the day of OR the day before _and_ day of. I also put my phone on airplane mode either that morning or the whole day til everything is done. Gives me time in the morning to sleep a little longer before I get back to homework (my courses are strictly online). I’ve burned through a great deal of my vacation time with my last three classes, but it allows me to recharge a little when I need it most. I also made the choice to do my school’s online asynchronous program. It’s all accelerated courses, but it means that the only time I *have* to be somewhere on time in the morning is for work and the one day I meet my trainer now. 😒I had to sacrifice my workout routine and diet for my current class.
I literally wake up every morning mad that im still alive and have to go to work and come back and study and this is literally gonna be my life even after college
samee. like now no matter what ill always have to stress about bills or work or for now college. like even if I grad/drop out, even without college there'll always be something there to make things miserable. junk doesn't even feel like its worth any of this tbh
Did anything change for you guys now?
After three semesters online, I’m pretty sure I broke my brain’s stress response. I feel nothing before an exam. Nothing. No panic or worry, no motivation or desire. I’m completely numb to it. I have a probability and statistics midterm today and I want to care but I can’t. I’m trying to recover from my burnout but it’s hard when you can’t truly stop.
I've been feeling like this for the past 5 months... Trying to recover but it's so hard. I hope you're doing better now!
This is me rn. And it's coming at the worst time. It's the last two weeks of school. And my brain can't seem to function.
@@yourmajesty7604 everything’s gonna be alright, I promise! Even though I didn’t believe I could, I recovered from my burnout. If I can, you can too, keep going
@@mari4nne thank you so much!!! I really appreciate it. I realized how much one needs to be kind to themselves when feeling burnt out. It's not intentionally being lazy or unmotivated. It's like a sickness that does it's own thing. I just hope that I can get pass each requirement, now matter how daunting they seem.
I feel this so much right now.
started with panic attacks, slowly fell into depression, I was facing these two problems since my high school days, I had no idea what was happening to me , still I completed high school and then during my First year in graduation, I was completely burnt out. Didn't attend college, father thinks I am being lazy, I went for counselling/psychiatric help, but father told to stop going for it. continued with college the following year, completed gradtn with low grades.Can't go for work, I get hell of a panic attack and anxiety even in normal social situations, so.. not earning money. Oh yeah am in hell !!! fighting a lone battle since last 10years
be strong man. I am going through similar emotions.
Shouldn't have listened to your father. He wasn't trying to understand you
John I've seen worse happen, and people recover. Always remeber, the best thing about hitting rock bottom, is that you have nothing to loose, and there's no place to go,but up. I hope you are feeling better
hope you´re doing better now and taking care of yourself... best of luck to you... p.s.: you´re definitely not alone!!! :)
Sameeee its relaxing to have people have the same situation
Yes! Finally done with college homework and worked ahead. Now I'm free to have some fun. Oh. Wait. What's this? Ohhh, nevermind. More homework, more crap to study, no time to do any of it, cram a week's worth of studying in one day because the assignment is due in 24 hours and was posted on the exact same day. Weekend off from work? Spend it stressing out on college.
Need sleep? Go ahead, sleep, just miss all your homework and get a failing grade for it.
Haha!
yup.
Same bro, I just wanna be done with college ffs 🙃
Bruh...dang, I feel u
EXACTLY.
They say to sleep enough, but what the hell? I'd be more frustrated for the whole day if i slept without completing work.
My teachers don't announce the small exam dates beforehand too, that's mad. I think they need to announce at least a minimum 4 days before.
I'm so burnt out. Theres no pressure to take a break but I physically cannot but I'm so empty I'm learning nothing just absorbing and regurgitating.
TFW you cannot afford to waste a day/weekend to relax and organize your life
Laura Padron taking a weekend or day off increases overall efficiency. So its short term loss, long term gain.
Some people have zero free time. We work all day every day and if we doze off for half a second our grades suffer
easier said than done though
I agree with you feeling very depressed with college right now. I'm even having thought of dropping out and pursue my passion but that would be a huge upset for my parents who want me to complete college. So the only thing that helps me relax and realize all the stress is when I workout it's what I like doing because it's just me and the weights. I forget about all my problems and focus at what I'm doing at the moment and I love the results I am getting. it makes me stronger mentally and physically. if you feel burnout with whatever it is just start lifting weights and you won't regret it. it has really helped me alot
Mr. Gecko the Salamander exactly, then it's like there's no solution
Bruh when he said "Everything makes you tired, You don't care about anything, and Everything sucks" I felt that on a FAT level
Then you realise it’s still 3 weeks from the end of the first semester and you are still pushing through last year’s burnout
how about Burnouts during final exams ? .. it's so hard to take long breaks between exams however you do it anyways cause you act as if you don't care anymore and you end up feeling worse than before U_U
i have that problem right now
Mariam Al-sherief exactly
same
I failed my test because of these just yesterday... It give me such a great depression rn...
This is my situation right now
The most important exam of my life is less then 2 months away and I am just not feeling anything
It feels like I dont care anymore eventhough i do i am panicking
When he started listing the symptoms of burnout I started crying, only the 4th week of my second year and I feel like it’s been months, my studies are become more of imaginary constructs that seem almost useless and my frustration seems futile. My stress is becoming physically obvious and I feel like every day is a exhausting battle that must be ended with a long hot shower in the dark… my stem major friends must relate to this feeling. College is rough, and I’m feeling some serious burnout, I hope that using these tips will help me. Thank you
My pursuit and passion is what made me to burn out in the first place
Same, I used to be passionate and ambitious but now I'm tired, drained and can't cope
@@okaymea what did you done to recover? i took rest for 4 days..but nothing happened : (
@@H4K3R_ I admitted that I have a problem and sought help, pray ed and establish that motivation again. I looked at why I started university, how my life would be without my degree (it would be terrible) and listed the benefits I can gain if I finish my studies. Also sought therapy and its helpful because my psychologist is helping me work through my anxiety and handle my academic work load. Also get moral support, if you don't have someone to be there for you, you can message me on ig:andiswakuboni
It'possible to get out of a burnout, be consistent and patient.
@@H4K3R_ It's been 2 years since I've been burnt out :)
Personally I found burnout in myself and people around me is often caused by a combination of putting too much pressure on yourself and a lack of separation between work-time and relax-time. This makes the things from the study mentioned earlier in the video harder to deal with.
It's often the problem that you may feel you have to fix/finish everything, which is not always achievable (especially not if you demand too much of yourself). Because of this, you feel guilty when you take a (longer) break, which makes you unable to relax and feel like you are wasting time, or you just don't want to take a break, because you feel you don't have time for that. If you do this for too long, you will likely build up symptoms of a burnout, especially if you also neglect you physical health by less sleep, food or exercise.
The advice given in the video is good advice, but I found that it hard to do something with that advice as long as I kept thinking: "But I don't have time for that! I first have to finish these other things!"
I recommend to re-evaluate if all the things you are trying to do are important enough to risk you health or mental well-being. Are the end-goals you are working towards really worth collapsing for? After you are able to also accept a bit less of yourself it becomes easier practice self-care.
And remember, your self-worth does not have to be based on whether or not you have achieved this one goal... Be kind to yourself! You deserve it regardless of your achievements
When life gives you the primary route of pursuing money, you can't really worry about your mental health, only things you can really do is find ways to cope...
@@alencifps1535 cope by playing Apex Legends
@@shinkiro69420 Lol
Stress, anxiety and depression have really been getting to me lately and i feel like I'm in the thick of it at the moment. All my friends left our home town to go to university while i stayed mainly because I had a good part time job and played sport at a representative level for my home town along with our university having a world renowned reputation. 'm currently in my second year of doing a law and business double degree and am experiencing major assignment overload, along with missing all my close friends who are miles away. The stress and anxiety have affected my performance in everything, i don't find joy in most things i do anymore and i have broken sleeps where i wake up at random times because of the worry about assignments that are coming up or are due soon. I feel like i can't talk to anyone abut these feelings as i don't want to sound weak, talking about your feelings for a male where i come from are generally frowned upon by everyone, especially if you are good at a 'manly' sport (I play rugby). Also those that I would feel comfortable talking to about these feelings are miles away and i don't want to burden them. I feel lonely no matter who is around. Sorry for the long random comment i just really felt the need to vent my feelings anonymously.
vännen I really hope and pray you found some support and love for your life again.. your happiness is worth more than what others will think of you if you reach out for help 💓🙏🏽🌞
We got your back
If you're still there, it'd be nice to have an update on things for insight of a 4 year problem
Hey Thomas, thanks for putting up such great videos! I have a video request: OCD/Anxiety and Studying. Sometimes I get so caught up with figuring out how to make my notes/task lists/reward systems perfect that I spend more time on that than actually doing assignments and whatnot. Maybe you'll be able to come up with some time management or idea organization tips. Thanks a bunch!
Andrea Ranzau got it noted down! Thanks for the idea :)
Andrea I'm exactly the same. I need to prioritise my tasks/assignment/ lifestyle.
dude that is so classic. procrastinating by figuring out how not to procrastinate is literally my entire life.
I can relate... Sometimes I'm like "Damn I really need to start working on school but I don't know which assignment to do first.. Guess I gotta make a to-do list / planner first" and then 2 hours later I've finished the planner and it's all looking fancy and neat, but I don't have any time left to do the actual assignment..
Oddly enough I've found cleaning my space, my room, doing the dishes and getting everything looking cleared out and organized actually motivates me to get more done, and it keeps me from stressing out too much over assignments and work. And I'm a guy... so. yeah.
Honestly bro, nothing beats tidying up, listening to some tunes, and thinking philosophically about life
being clean doesn't belong to girls only hahaha
I am past the stage of burnout I have as a RESULT ended up being physical sick and I ended up missing more school which made me even more stressed now I am at a stage where I am overloaded with homework and exams but I decided to keep calm get back to being my old self and go with the flow . Above all make sure you guys are healthy and positive :) Spread positivity no matter what .
This doesn't work if you have 7 exams in 4 days ( 3 on monday,2 tuesday and then more 2) and 2 day weekend to prepare for them.I really hate my life. :)
I never buy this because the syllabus tells you exactly what you're walking into months out. They don't just drop them on you on Friday. It's our responsibility to prepare adequately before hand and create systems that work for us and don't use "proximity to exam" as the fuel of motivation.
@@EliteRowmaster So, true! People always find the reason to blame, to put their responsibility on the shoulders of other, to simply be a victim who wasn't aware of a word called syllabus:P
Summary
1)What causes it?
2)Don't overload the system
3)Body in working order
4)Organised
5)Take regular breaks
(Not FB and reddit)
6)Ask for help
That is what I was looking for! I've had lack of motvation and uninterest in my school subjects without knowing that it's a burnout
I only write maybe 2-5 comments a year on TH-cam vids.
This one reaaaalllyy moved me. Exactly what’s happened to me. Thank you so much for this video
Thomas Frank, I have never ever seen someone put out such good videos on studying techniques for college students. I would like to take the time to thank you for all your efforts. Your touching on a subjects that I can benefit from. I am a Human Biology major at California State University Bakersfield. I have been diagnosed with ADHA; plus a case of college burn out, but your videos now has given me new life.
This is exactly what I needed to hear and watch. I've had to emergency drop a class and been recommended to e-drop another class because of an expected (but ignored) burnout. My body started giving out and I was more sick that I've ever been my whole life. Bottom line, I've been feeling really shitty after this week of having to go through meetings with professors to play catch-up and having to trek through excuse email upon excuse email.... it's a horrible feeling and has left me feeling helpless but this video makes me believe that this problem is really common and maybe it's okay that I take some time for myself this quarter. Thank you.
This is exactly what I wanted to see right now. Your my hero.
2:49-52: "...you do have limitations, *just like the rest of us*. And if you go beyond those limitations for too long, *there are consequences*."
I felt like an evil cult was threatening me when he said that.
I burned out so completely this past year from a combination of an over-loaded course schedule and dealing with illness in a close family member that I'm having to retake my final year >.> Sorting out paperwork and one last assignment at the moment, and then hopefully I've got the whole summer to get my head on straight and come back fighting in October - thanks for the tips Thomas.
Thank you for the punctual definition of burnout. I couldn't relate to a lot of other videos on the topic but you summed up the way I've been feeling for two years perfectly.
Today I've learned that I've suffered student burnout a bunch of times and am also feeling it today. Thanks Thomas.
"Everything makes you tired, you don't care about anything and everything sucks"
I already had some built-up stress and misery today, and feeling so seen by a statement made so directly literally made me cry
great tips !! taking short breaks also makes me more productive in my course work...I work full-time, mandatory on call and go to school...it ain't easy...but I fully agree with being organized...it really helps....good to know that I'm not alone in my volume of work load.....thanks for the awesome tips dude
Thank you for the video as an academic, I am a researcher, during this lockdown I clearly started to burnout. Probably this was already initiated few months before the lockdown. I clearly see a lack of interest and a loss of that passion that kept me up all night willing to know more and is a disgrace because I loved my work. But I think you open me my mind, I have limits and I stretched for more than 8 years these to accomplish more. Academia is really bad because has a bad balance between commitment and results. You have to invest so more of yourself to get really little at the start of your career and I think this is something that is hard periods like this one is more cristal clear. Good luck with you channel!
uh this is so me :/ I thought I'm depressed but now I think I might have the burnout syndrom.
I play your videos for my homeschool teens. It was so worth it just to hear you say "Clean your room!"
Hey Thomas! Thanks for the great and useful effort that you always make including podcasts,books and videos. Can you please make a video about how to know if you're in the right major? I'm currently in pharmacy school and I need help with deciding wether being a pharmacist is actually the right job for me? You know it's a life time thing and it's important to take the right path.
Gloria Ha. great idea! Cal Newport and I talked a bit about this on episode 35 of the podcast, which you can listen to here: collegeinfogeek.com/cal-newport/ - but I'll note the idea down and see if I can get a video made on it sometime soon :)
hi Thomas, im a 14 year old boy from Brazil and i'm going to hight school next year. I didn't even knew what was a burnout, but when I watched your video I found out what was happening to me. I was really busy, I was doing pilates twice a week, basketball 4 times a week and stayed at least 5 hour on the "club", I went to school and stayed hours there, and when I got home I needed to do my assingnements, that in this case was huge. And after all I wanted to sleep. this schedule had repeted over the whole year and I had a burnout. i'd quited basketball, pilates, and was feeling depressed. I talked to my parents about this and to my ucle (he is a psycologist), now im watching your videos as well and all the content you produce I dont know why, make me feel better. Now Im having lot of fun, reading more books etc. Thank you very much.
Dude, ofc you were going to be burnt out! So much pressure on you! How are you doing nowadays btw, in terms of that?
Hello! I just want to thank you! I have been struggling a lot with stress and lack motivation and have been dangerously near giving up several times! But your videos have really helped me out, they are filled with great advice, motivating material, useful techniques and all of that presented with an ounce of humor that truly makes the information stick a little better! Once again, thank you!
I feel lazy, tired, out of brain juice, out of motivation...and my assignment is due in 23 minutes. Where is the time machine when you need it?
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
I'm liking you more and more, Thomas. You are, on so many levels, the kind of person for one to look up to.
I feel nothing, everyone is better than me, and I have no knowledge of anything, these are confusing times. I don't feel alright
Thank you for the video! A video like this referring to burn out from online classes (due to corona) would also be really helpful.
When he says a task with progress, he means something like a sport that you could improve on; for example mastering a one handed backhand in tennis, or something completely different like learning esperanto. Even though it's mental, you feel like you can learn at your own speed and don't worry about anyone else, you get that flow state that really sets you up for the next day. Great video Thomas, felt like I was hitting that burnout level after taking on extra tasks for group work. Also guys, if you're one of those that does nothing in a group and just lets someone else do it all for you, you're a simp.
No wonder I suddenly lost all my stress and worry and concern half way through last semester. I still studied hard and tried but I never felt worried.
And this semster I don't feel motivated by the risk of getting a low grade in a class. 0:37 expains how I've felt for a really long time. Thanks for the video and the info, Thomas
As a homeschooling mom this is about the time of year where I start getting burn-out. It's not the workload that gets to me, but wanting to be outside enjoying spring or working on projects around the house instead of lesson planning, correcting papers, etc. It helps to write down markers at the beginning of the year as to where we need to be at different parts of the school year. This year we are actually ahead of schedule and should be finishing lessons at the end of April. Oh happy day!!
Professors: Ask for help
Also Professors: NO make-up tests or assignments
Couldn't agree more my dude!
Thank you for creating this space that not only allows one to learn about ways to be more productive but it also encourages one to learn about ourselves as students/learners in this never ending learning process!
As a grad student, one of the most difficult skills I had to learn (and I am still working on it!), was to learn how to create my own schedule and my own deadlines (It is a lot harder than I thought!). So, I was wondering if you could create a video about the way you work/plan when it comes to starting a new project, in which you are behind the creative aspect of it and the one doing it, as well.
Thanks!
Learn something from videos like this helps me a lot. I'm "burned out" to read books a few years now.
Thanks!!
You're totally right. I'm going through this right now. I have a philosophy of education to only take classes that I think I'll learn from. Going off of this Logic, I decided not to take BS classes my senior year and to basically overload my schedule with writing intensive courses and extracurricular activities. While I don't regret this decision, because I've learned an immense about myself and reality that I wouldn't have found out otherwise had I been taking BS courses, I realize now that I REALLY need to be more careful when I take on responsibility. I need to take things one step at a time, do little things, not kill myself in the process. On the bright side, I have been experimenting with waking up early and now am motivated to ALWAYS start work right away. I think the positive of a college burnout Thomas is that it makes you super aware and conscious about yourself as a person and your flaws and strengths. Now that I know this, because I allowed everything to get crazy, I'll never procrastinate as seriously as I did. Thanks man. Send some good vibes my way, I could sure use em.
Yo this is sooo me right now, two weeks before a very important exam...
The really hard thing is to apply all of these tips, because it's like a loss of time, I'm forcing myself to do them, but I always end up regretting and feeling even more stressed.
By the way, that's interesting how I first think about this channel when I'm dealing with some professional issues, or searching for some tips, hhmm I should subscribe!
I spent 10 years in college studying registered nursing then did a bachelor's and master's in psychology. I started having visits to the ER near the end. I am in bed as I type this--a month after finishing school. Listen to him...good advice!
I love the advices in this video and really wish I could go out on a 3 week vacation right now! Oh, that would be amazing!
I'm in the middle of PA school and my course doesn't really have breaks. we work January to December with only 6 weeks of holidays scattered in 2 week blocks through the year. Now that the end of first year is coming I'm really feeling burned out and disinterested with most things even though I love the course. And what is worse, my finals are in two days :(!
Thank you for the motivation, in 48 hours I'll have some much needed free time..
I think one of the best things you can do if you are really feeling overwhelmed is to go out on a hike somewhere, find somewhere quiet and just slow your breathing down and try to meditate. Really helps me look at things more critically and identify problems causing the stress or burnout
This video actually made me feel better and not more annoyed.. thanks
Hello Thomas! Just want to say thank you for making this channel and the videos and podcast too. Thou I really hope that I found your channel earlier since I already at my last year of college (i hope so) but I think all of your tips can be applied throughout life. Thank you for being awesome and inspiring.
Once i used to understand complex problems , now i can't understand even simple things , thanks frank i will improve
A lot of people seem to be watching this amidst their exams. In my opinion the strategies in this video a more preparatory and preventative than they are remedies to situations where it's too late to plan any time for recreation and de-stressing.
So THAT'S what i've been dealing with! Too bad i didn't see this at sooner date but better than never! But i was wondering, how do you deal with the guilt of not doing your work? One thing that really gets to me beside the ever growing workload is the guilt i feel of not getting it done fast enough, and is always at the back of my mind when trying to relax making the stress worse :/
BTW awesome video, got yourself a new subscriber, keep it up!
Hey man, you've been dealing with this problem for at least 5 years now! That's an insane amount of wisdom! Please give us an update on your situation.
Well, I'm from Europe so we might have a different definition of the term but what you describe as a burnout falls short to what I experienced... Of course I had all that, but add I'm-gonna-kill-myself-migraines, asthma and panic attacks several times a day... from 2 to 5 (5 being the amount that landed me in the hospital, where I was diagnosed with burnout...) and I can assure you that taking a break did not help much... It actually took me two years to get well again, being that I had to have a job and did not quit school after it happened. So, exhausted students there, just know that it can get really bad. Really really bad. +Thomas Frank is right, pay attention to the signs he described, but also know this : school and exams are not your life. They may seem like the most important things right now, but they aren't. Your health and well-being are what matters. There is litterally no point in having a diploma and not the will to get up in the morning to use your hard earned skills... After two years of stuggling I took a year off (my family made me cause I wouldn't give up) and suddenly the sun shone again... Just sayin' ...
Allison B. I feel your pain. I don't think we have a different definition here in Europe. Burnout simply differs in severity and symptoms. But you're right, if you get to the point of actual burnout it can take a lot of effort to recover.
Allison B. Wow real talk.. nothing is worth your health and happiness
Can I pls ask you what helped you to win the battle with the burnout. I am in a very serious burnout with anxiety and panic attacks since December last year but first the house doctor told me
Is stress so I kept working and studying, planning to many exams one after other without knowing I was having a burnout. I have pain in my muscles, foot, hyperventilating, head aches, etc I cannot sleep properly and of course a lot of fears.
Pls tell me how long it took for you to recover and what helped.
I did a therapy with a psychology but it didn’t help much. I have some good days when I feel ok but then after that I relapse and seems worthless. I am now at home since July cause the doctor advises me to stay home . I would be so glad if you can help me with advices or tips.
I do a lot of exercise in the gym , going out for walks and of course when I cannot handle it I take some calmants mostly natural ones.
Greetings,
Elena
Can I pls ask you what helped you to win the battle with the burnout. I am in a very serious burnout with anxiety and panic attacks since December last year but first the house doctor told me
Is stress so I kept working and studying, planning to many exams one after other without knowing I was having a burnout. I have pain in my muscles, foot, hyperventilating, head aches, etc I cannot sleep properly and of course a lot of fears.
Pls tell me how long it took for you to recover and what helped.
I did a therapy with a psychology but it didn’t help much. I have some good days when I feel ok but then after that I relapse and seems worthless. I am now at home since July cause the doctor advises me to stay home . I would be so glad if you can help me with advices or tips.
I do a lot of exercise in the gym , going out for walks and of course when I cannot handle it I take some calmants mostly natural ones.
Greetings,
Elena
Can I pls ask you what helped you to win the battle with the burnout. I am in a very serious burnout with anxiety and panic attacks since December last year but first the house doctor told me
Is stress so I kept working and studying, planning to many exams one after other without knowing I was having a burnout. I have pain in my muscles, foot, hyperventilating, head aches, etc I cannot sleep properly and of course a lot of fears.
Pls tell me how long it took for you to recover and what helped.
I did a therapy with a psychology but it didn’t help much. I have some good days when I feel ok but then after that I relapse and seems worthless. I am now at home since July cause the doctor advises me to stay home . I would be so glad if you can help me with advices or tips.
I do a lot of exercise in the gym , going out for walks and of course when I cannot handle it I take some calmants mostly natural ones.
Greetings,
Elena
This video is very useful for preparation before classes starts! I love the way you make the sequence of thoughts bro! Its very brain-friendly.
I’m soooo frustrated right now. I don’t understand this assignment and my teacher won’t respond to my emails. It’s worth 50% of my geography grade!!
Dude the fact that you care that much that you wrote a YT comment about that is amazing, with ethic like that, you'll sure to have years of stability to come
Literally in the midst of a breakdown and watched this...hopefully in the future I can catch myself before I get to this place. I’m overwhelmed with work, school and family...it all seems impossible right now
I'm in high school and sometimes I try to do more than I can. I have a lot of courses, all the time, so there are no breaks from the school work. In the weekends and during holidays I manage to have fun though, I do have friends at school and my family is supportive. But in the evenings I feel like I have nothing else to do than to read, study, do homework... Plus there are other things I have to take care of. Usually after a holiday I feel refreshed but when a few weeks have gone, my sleeping schedule is terrible, I feel tired all the time and then I lose interest in studying, slowly other things too. I've tried to prevent this, maybe it has got a little better, yet I still need to work on keeping myself happy and healthy. Thanks for the video! I'll try to remember to take breaks and keep myself motivated :)
Watching Thomas Frank makes me wanna clean my room and enjoy doing it
This video couldn't have come at a more perfect time! I have to take a summer class and I feel like I just finished spring semester! Thank you for this video!! :)
I got accepted to the best Uni in my state and over the week of my acceptance, my family was scrambling around unsure what to do. As such, they had me handle a bunch of things relating to the college, basic stuff like my schedule and all that, but then they pushed even more onto me as the week went by. Stuff like managing my dorms, my meal plan, getting scholarships ready (as we aren't really all that wealthy, so we need the financial aid), and even after I moved in, getting even more things from people and trying to keep myself motivated. But, by the time my first week here ended, I was completely burnt out. For doing absolutely everything for two weeks straight, with no time to myself as my family would barge in while I'm trying to relax back home, or call me and text me more things to do even after I moved out, so I had no time to just unwind. Now, my dad is taking some of the weight off my shoulders, but it's too late. I have assignments due later today, a quiz I haven't studied for tomorrow, and even more stuff due over the coming week(s). I'm already falling behind in all of my classes, even despite my desire to do better up here than I ever did back home on my first day here. It's been two weeks of this burnout, and despite my best efforts, and attending class every time I have it, I just can't seem to bring myself to do anything. All I do is read comics online and play the occasional game.
What I did was just taking a few days off school (I didn't have class anyway but I had to work on a deadline) and hang out with my friends, read stuff that I like, and basically enjoy the day. With no work to interfiere. I had a deadline project on tuesday this week which I had to work non stop for like a few days or almost a week. And now I have another one tomorrow. I needed that time and now I can work peacefully without being worried about having to work or not getting enough time for myself. :)
End of second semester is like hell. :)
although I'm not a student anymore, your videos has proven to be most helpful in tackling various situations in life ;D thx man, you're awesome!
The only way to avoid assignment overload is to take fewer classes or drop out. I've always struggled with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, and going back to school at the age of 28 made it worse. The added financial burden, lack of income, and lack of independence you become used to in your twenties being taken away was also a major factor for me. However, there is no avoiding these issues: it's part of the university package. I started taking fewer courses and want to re-establish my exercise and meditation routine (that went to crap in my first year). Hopefully that will help a bit.
What if I can't make myself settle down from coursework overload?
I'm not a university student but I'm dealing with this issue of overload in coursework. Right now, as I'm writing this comment, I'm practically wasting my time, because I have school tomorrow, with like 6 stuff or something to get done, but... screw it all.
I want to make for myself the time while the term is still going, but I can only do that if a public holiday is announced. On a school week, I wake up, go to school, do my stuff there, go home, get unwind, get a nap, do homework, try to squeeze some periodic studying and hit the sac early because I have to do everything again till the weekend, and even the weekend is spent doing schoolwork, most of the time. The worst part of it all is I can't complain, my teachers will tell me stuff about how it's normal since I'm a Cambridge int'l AS level student and my family will most probably say how it's normal to do that since I'm going for a qualification.
I even bought a Harry Potter book to calm myself down and recharge my batteries somehow but I've been told that I act as if I'm a person with a lot of free time.
I'm not saying I can't motivate myself, but I honestly feel fed up, but I can't do a thing about my course load and I'll just get to school tomorrow and most probably say, 'screw it' to the chemistry lab.
thanks
Sighs...
By the way, for putting these stuff up. It makes me feel better to know that this problem isn't just me being a spoiled brat.
I’m been working and studying non stop for months and yesterday I came home at 1 and passed out till 12pm today. I missed revision sessions and so forth. I feel so dead inside.
bruh who disliked this. This video could not have summarised and addressed my problems with heavy schoolwork more perfectly. Thomas you are a god.
I just want to say that your videos and especially your book are awesome! Even for me, a Dutch high school student, your tips are pretty helpfull! Keep doing the great work!
Thank you, I have learned a lot of things, and I plan on watching some of your other videos.
Okay but most of your tips are time consuming, breaks and holidays I'm dreaming about it. I'm about to burn out because *I have no time to stop*, the Work hard, Play hard rule is replaced by Work hard, work harder.... and I have to go on like this for two more months. I'm efficient af so I can't even improve my efficiency to cop with it. I mean I wasn't really expecting a solution coming here and I know that I just have to wait another two months before feeling alive..
My biggest motivation is that, like you said, I overloaded in order to challenge myself, and I know that if I can bring it to a success, I'll be able to do just about anything afterwards. That's the only thing that still makes me wake up in the morning, I can't fucking lose.
Can you please give us an update on your situation, I would appreciate some of your wisdom
Yet again, another wonderful video, good sir! Such a great gift to have these reminders and tips at-hand. Keep it up, Thomas! :)
Thank you for helping me figure out what’s wrong with me.
This is a very good video. There are so many channels on youtube that are a lot of show and no substance. This isn't one of them.
Thank you Thomas for giving wonderful video.
I've thought about this a lot, and one of the reasons I fall into the burn-out hole is mainly because of how I have learned to motivate myself. I essentially treat everything as a problem to be fixed, including my education; I am fixing my ignorance! When you view almost all activity as addressing some problem or need, your life becomes exhausting. Eventually this view begins to negatively impact your performance. It affects your concentration, focus, attitude and outlook. It can feel like you are being buried, and no matter how hard you work, you can't seem to dig yourself out of this hole. The problems keep coming faster and faster (increased workload), and the problems are getting harder and harder. Eventually you reach the point where you are slipping so far behind, you feel completely lost, and like a failure.
I have type I diabetes, which acts like a stress amplifier. My stress level increases, then the management of my diabetes suffers. My blood-sugar control gets worse, then I feel like crap. This leads to a lot of physical exhaustion. I begin to slip further behind, and things get even harder. It's a pattern I keep falling into. I had burnout so bad one semester while in school, I began having suicidal thoughts, and decided to go talk to a counselor. If anyone is wondering, my major was Electrical Engineering. I persevered and got my degree but it took me 6 years to do it. I remember when I started college, I loved learning. Then by the end, I felt like my "love for learning" had been beaten out of me by the system.
I still struggle with dealing with job stress. No escape, no hope. It's like running a marathon with a sprained ankle.
This can really happen over night when you have severe anxiety, my freshmen college year started 2 weeks ago and i already have 4 tests, 2 projects and books to read, i’ve been trying to study as much as i can but it feels like i learn nothing, this is too much
Keep trying to push bro, it's the least we can do... I've been dealing with this for 2 years now, but we gotta have faith because that's all we got, do me a favor and try to make a new friend, wether that's online or IRL, people are great resources for wisdom because they come from all walks of life, not one person story is the same as the other, do your best to learn from as many people as possible, the good and the bad.
3rd year 1st semester of online classes, I had burnout because of the amount of reading assignments and workload. But the burnout gradually built up and was as its peak on the remaining two weeks of the semester. I missed 3 classes because of it. Now, I'm in 3rd year 2nd semester and we had the same professor for two courses and this professor is the kind where he gets really upset, really quick, and is insulting almost every single one of us if you don't get the answer right, and he's been unreasonably VERY ANGRY. That was still the first meeting of all of his two courses. Guess whose so done with the semester now 🙃 I don't even have the energy to study anymore.
I find your videos helpful and practical for my learning.
Thanks Thomas - I can relate with problems with Professor
Thank you so much for your videos! I love your positive attitude. I'm definitely in the midst of student burnout, and found some of your tips helpful. My problem is that I work part time and go to school full time and don't have time to free myself from my disorganized lifestyle. I find myself giving up, feeling demotivated, discouraged and tired so much quicker than I would have a month ago. I agree that setting up a schedule and setting up a system would help, but I just don't have the time. I feel the pressure to get through my classes quickly because I've already been in school so long and I'm in my mid20's, but I also feel the pressure to support myself because I'm in my mid20's. Any suggestions or tips?
i being burnout for 5 days i thought that im depressed thanks that was helpful ♥️👍
I realize that this video is 2 years old; however, I was surfing for some type of support. I like 9 weeks of college and am so burnt out! I'm just tired of school. 4 years and still overloaded with work, and just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I cannot focus on my work. This really scares me because right now I am a 3.95 GPA student and afraid I am going to lose it because I am losing my mind. Just needed to vent a little. Thank you for this video.
Definitely been dealing with burnout due to coursework overload my classes either have me reading and quizzing on 30-40 pages before class everyday or papers due each week (I wish that was an exaggeration) wish I would have dropped some but I could handle in the beginning but all classes picked up speed at the same time
being depressed for not studying is one hell cycle i wish for no one,
Your videos are always so helpful! Thanks!
It's too late for me
Why? It's never too late
same
me tio
R dog 123 same :(
same
Going through that right now. I like to be with people everyday I actually don’t know. Way too much criticizing
When i feeL heLpLess u appear! 💗
its exactLy how im feeLing "burnt out" aLready aLthough... so unfortunateLy the tip wont work for me in these 5 days!
i have no concentration at aLL i feeL sLeepy i procrastinate a Lot & at the same time feeL stressed out at the tight scheduLe i've got when i have nothing to do but study & this is my 5th time repeating this particuLar exam in 2 years & its Like i keep Losing hope nothing motivates... if i don't go through this exam i can't continue to the next LeveL...
im studying medicine in Baghdad... Thanks for ur videos & ur free book i can't beLieve how much u are wiLLing to heLp random peopLe of the internet! 💗💗💗
How I avoid burnout:
-Take breaks
-Take less classes in a semester (know your limit)
-If you can, plan ahead in putting time consuming/ very difficult professors mixed with easier or less time consuming courses to balance out the workload
Before I use to be so burnt out that I could barely sit up to eat breakfast and I could sleep anywhere cause you’re just that tired. I would’ve ended up in the hospital if I kept up over pushing myself.
1.Find the cause of burnout
2.Don't overload yourself too much
3.Get organized
4.Take breaks (High density fun)
5.Ask for help
In my first 2 days of class, I've had 2 tests and 2 quizzes. Not to mention 4 online tests. Stress out the butt, however I'm attempting to learn to transfer the stress I'm feeling into a sense of excitement. Funny how the mind works, instant ease. And I'm a single father with custody of my kid, and absolutely no family interaction, or assistance.
Yay! A trip to Japan!
Always glad to hear news from the Land of the Rising Sun!
Thank you, Thomas. This video was helpful.