Fighting Burn Out

I need some help with fighting burn out. Basic tips, anything that could possibly help get back to somewhat normal.

The big problem is, I'm so burnt out from school that nothing is settling in my mind. I'll go over something 10 times and try my hardest to actually learn it but I can't seem to focus or get anything down. When I started school I was fine, but now... not so much.

I need some tips to keep going and help fight the burn out. I wanted to take this semester off (hell I wanted to take a year off) and get things back together but my father basically had a panic attack when I told him and freaked out on the entire family (the biggest one being my mom). He was so freakin' upset that I felt guilted into coming back.

As I said, I'm especially suffering from not being able to focus or even learn anything at this point in time, but I've also noticed tenancies that seem to go along with depression (I can't get up in the morning, I haven't been eating, I'm constantly snapping at people... along with other things I'd rather not discuss). Of course theres also the constant laziness and the constant frustration that I can't get anything right...

I am going to talk to someone asap about it, but I need some tips to just dodge the burn out until I can get things settled. So, thoughts?

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My name is Nichole, and I am a recovering procrastinator.

Comprehend Languages - My DnD Blog
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I don't know how your education system works and what way your skills will be tested. If there is room for it, I would strongly advice to understand more than repeat when it comes to learning. You mention reading something 10 times. Thats a waste of time. One time is enough if you read and process what you are reading. Taking notes, writing down your understanding of things etc.

For lack of fatigue I suggest working out. Nothing works better imo. If its dark around you this time a year, tanning can be good. And of course not eating microwave "heat and eat" food. Personally I feel totally refreshed if I go for a swim and a long sauna session afterwards. Especially in the winter. In the summer, swimming in the sea does wonders for my energy levels.

I'm not sure what to suggest for frustration. I have been lucky to be born without it. Perhaps it will help if you if you start thinking about the reasons behind things. Ex; if a person is unfriendly at you, it is probably because that person have had a bad day or something. It has nothing to do with you.

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The best tip that I have is to "write to learn"

That is that, when I read, I have my laptop near so that everything I read that is important, I write down.

Then, the next day, I read what I have written, and if there are some things that I don't understand, I read about it again in the book and write down extra information.

I do this until I know the things that I have written down.

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I think you're missing the point that I'm honestly trying to understand what I'm doing in my classes. I'm a math and physics major so I have to know math, obviously, as well as basic concepts of physics. For example we're doing Work again in one of my classes. I know work, I've done it a bizillion times in other physics classes but I can't get the basic concepts to work in any of my problems. So I do it over and over and over to get it to work and it doesn't work. I take notes, I've done everything I have that has helped me learn over the last couple years here, which includes writing down thrms, problems, examples, working through examples, writing down definitions and equations and using those definitions and equations. And then I'll go back over it and still not understand it. I almost feel like I'm suffering from some form of ADD, but I have no experience with that.

As for frustration, you don't really know it until you spend 3 hours working on a single thing and then in the end realize you've gotten no where. Its focused at myself, not at other people because I know the material, I know the stuff and I know I know the stuff but I can't get any of the problems to work.

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My name is Nichole, and I am a recovering procrastinator.

Comprehend Languages - My DnD Blog
Growth Blog - My Goals and Journaling Blog

Speaking as someone who has been in pretty much the same situation, consider a few things:
1) How much longer do you have to finish?
- If you're almost finished, it may be worth it to just close your eyes and coast through. "C's get degrees." Not the best attitude, but pragmatically speaking, you'll get the piece of paper that says you're "educated."

2) Do you have space in your schedule to take other classes to let your mind "stretch out" a bit?
- I majored in engineering, and the classes I did best in and was most interested in were the general education requirements, ie literature-based classes, and "fun" classes like guitar and jazz history. My best semester of college was spent taking drawing, watercolor, and music theory. So it helps sometimes to get your mind working on other things; like taking a breather, but without letting your mind go idle.

3) Do you really want to finish this degree? I.e. do your plans for your future hinge on having a physics degree, does another major entice you more, etc.
- It might make more sense to change majors if you're burnt out on the material as a whole, though this could cost more up front, you might come out happier on the other end.

Being burnt out/depressed is really tough, and I definitely encourage you to talk to a professional, too.

Huh, High someone got above my comment Surprised

I take a LOT of notes. I have notes EVERYWHERE, in my books, on my computer, page after page after page of notes I take in class. I have written every definition, proof and thrm in every class I've taken so far. But theres more than just taking notes, sadly.

I only have a year and a half left to go - so changing majors isn't an option and yeah, all I aim for are C's. But since my classes are so small (think 3-9 people), there isn't a way to 'aim' towards getting a C or better because its all on improvement and your relative grade next to everyone else. Everyone could get A's, technically, but if everyone else is doing good and you're struggling, its very easy to fail. Which is hard. On the other side, no I don't really care about finishing the degree at all due to the fact that all it is to me is a piece of paper since I don't want to go into research or teaching.

I'm stuck this semester with my schedule - 3 upper division physics and one upper division math course. And next semester I also can't really deviate from what I have to take. Theres really no option on what I can and can't take since we're such a small school, theres so very few options outside of what I have.

I'm going in to talk to a professional, but if they're just as biased as everyone else I've talked to than I'm liable to get no where.

As a note, I'm not just throwing down everyone's thoughts as they come at me. Just specifying exactly what I have and haven't done since most people aren't mind readers. Smile

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My name is Nichole, and I am a recovering procrastinator.

Comprehend Languages - My DnD Blog
Growth Blog - My Goals and Journaling Blog

Leo's blog is about having a happier life. You are not happy. If you were happier and less stressed, your studies would not seem so over-whelming and frustrating. If you were more relaxed, eating well, exercising, etc. I'm pretty certain the equations you are doing would make sense.

In one instance, you let a family member guilt trip you into continuing with something that is making you miserable. This is YOUR life. Take control back. Take a break for a semester or a year or whatever. When you feel better and more in control, return.

Heheheheh. I was just thinking about how I keep giving in to other people and that I keep thinking that I should "take initiative, take control!" and never do.

I'm going to wait and see what my counselor says. I went to her last week and we're finishing up this week, but I will definitely finish up this semester here due to the fact that we've already paid the $16k. After that, its kind of up in the air with what she thinks and what I decide.

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My name is Nichole, and I am a recovering procrastinator.

Comprehend Languages - My DnD Blog
Growth Blog - My Goals and Journaling Blog

Honestly, as a fourth year undergrad student doing my first year as a grad student at the same time, I definitely feel like I know where you're coming from. When its warm out the solution is easy, hop on the motorcycle and go for a few hours a day to clear my head.

In this frigid wintery hell I can't quite do that. I too have been unable to sleep at night, unable to get up in the morning, eating poorly, not working out, and smoking a lot more cigs than normal. Worst of all is that not only can I not focus on my assignments, but I can't even pay attention in class.

I do feel like the best way for me to break away from this funk, which I do when I really need to, is just to get some time out with friends, and then take a night for myself and just sit back, drink wine, and relax. Doing this a few days before an exam gets me ready to jump right back into the game, and holds me over for maybe two or three days.

Being that you're in Cali, I'd say buy a motorcycle, learn to ride, and learn that peace, tranquility, and freedom from everything imaginable comes on two wheels. Then again that might not be for you. Think about it though.

If I could get a car, right now, I would do it. Honestly, I love driving but I'm not really sure how I could handle driving here in LA, especially compared to the wide open roads of my hometown. When driving on the roads there I just sit back and relax and whee... then again, I'm broke as hell and the general opinion of the people who 'take care of me' (dad and grandparents, I think my mom wants me to run away) is that I'm not mature enough to own my own car.

I'm doing 15 hours worth of classes, 8 hours of work and I'm still boasting a 3.4 GPA in both of my math and physics majors; and they think I'm not mature enough to drive on my own. In fact, my dad has never let me consider contacts due to the fact that I'm not 'responsible' enough.

In retrospect, I think I'm seeing WHY I'm so burnt out. I'm not allowed to do anything. And I'm only 2 months away from being able to legally drink... so not alcohol relaxing for me.

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My name is Nichole, and I am a recovering procrastinator.

Comprehend Languages - My DnD Blog
Growth Blog - My Goals and Journaling Blog

I would argue that anybody who can pull a 3.4 GPA with a math/physics double major is mature enough to own a car, but hey, that's just me talking.

I've had a little experience with the feelings you've described and I can't really say that I have any great advice for "snapping out of it." The only thing I know is that when I feel overwhelmed and out of control, it helps to regain control over SOMETHING, no matter how small or insignificant. For me, if I'm way behind on lesson planning or just generally frazzled, I'll take a look at my to-do list and pick one, small, and discrete thing to finish. If that means responding to a couple emails and making my inbox empty, then that's what I'll do. The key is to do something that gives you control over a situation and hopefully snowball that into a larger effect.

However, the feelings you're describing are more intense than just feeling out of control, so I'm not really sure this is going to help at all. Good luck.

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I find that radical triage really helps. Try and cut out everything in your life that isn't a top priority. I find I get burned out when there are too many little things dragging me don.

Good luck from a former Physics & Sociology dual major!

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