#instead of idk. doing something meaningful. it'd literally be a better use of your time to TP some republican whos trying to take away your

[snekdood]

sometimes y gotta sit someone down. look them in the eye and go “does attacking me really solve your shitty life problems?”

[rainbowrider1290]

Immediate Burnout Tips

We are reaching midterm season and while it'd be amazing to just "take some time off to rest", sometimes we're not in a position to do that so here's what's worked for me so far to pilot the mental plane to safety while it's crashing and burning:

1. Don't Think About It

The second you think about the stuff you have to do your brain gets the opportunity to go "but like. i don't wanna". If it's not an immediate concern do your best to think about literally anything else.

2. Just Start It

This is a popular one but even if it's just (in the context of school) opening the document and putting your name on it and getting a singular line under each heading, it'll be easier to either keep going, or start next time if that drains you (which it did for me at one point). The only thing you have to concern yourself with is starting, not finishing.

One line per day is better than planning to write it all in one day and hating yourself for not having enough gas in the tank to do it.

3. Break Things Down

This seems like such an obvious one, but overachiever pride didn't let me even acknowledge this until way later. Do you have a test in two weeks? Instead of reviewing all of your notes every single day, review like. one section per day. Paper due in a month? Write three sentences per day. Start with the easiest section. To all my overachievers, there is no award for always doing things the hard way.

4. Structure Yourself

In uni especially, there's very little structure, and I find that taking my to-do list apart and cherry-picking just a few of them gives me clear instructions on what to expect.

5. Punch Overachiever's Pride Right In The Face

Idk if it's like this for other people, but one thing that always plagued me was the thought that I "should be better than this". I wasn't. And I didn't lose any Smart Points for that. The only badge I got from that mentality was a red ribbon that says "congratulations, you are resentful, anxious, and depressed, and you smiled through it so no one knew anything was wrong"

6. There's Nothing Wrong With Starting On The Easy Stuff

There's nothing wrong with starting on the easy stuff. There's nothing wrong with starting on the easy stuff. T H E R E ' S N O T H I N G W R O N G W I T H S T A R T I N G O N T H E E A S Y S T U F F.

7. A glass of water, try a hobby that doesn't use a screen, get a singular fruit into your system, and/or do aNYTHING physical that gets your heart rate up by one bpm.

(big thanks to @nomeimporta32 for getting me through my own bouts of burnout)

8. Take Meaningful Breaks

Leave the room, change positions, something to tell your brain that you're shifting gears and not to think about schoolwork. Just switching tabs on your computer and not moving only makes your breaks feel like they're part of the to-do list.

9. Give Yourself A Stopping Point

Even people working a full-time job leave at some point. Studentship is a full-time job. "I am going to do x-thing-that-makes-me-happy for one hour before going to bed and no one is going to stop me".

10. Be Patient.

Your emotions aren't logical, but they hold power over what you can do. Feeling burned out doesn't make you any less hardworking.