Do you ever feel trapped inside your own mind? Lost in a maze of big essay deadlines, unwatched lectures, and approaching midterms? Completely freaking out and knowing you should get up and do some work but, instead, sitting in your room eating mac ‘n’ cheese straight out of the saucepan, while watching some guy review Lithuanian military rations on Youtube? What we have just described is neither laziness nor procrastination. What you are experiencing is just good ol’ student burnout. Reasons for burnout could be the grey weather sucking your motivation, COVID restrictions thwarting all chances of fun, or even just the random Thursday gloomies. The main thing to remember is: burnout is normal. You are definitely not alone. 

With another round of deadlines and tests coming up, we thought it would be a good idea to share some tips and tricks that worked to cure our gloomies:

• Start Small: We are big fans of to-do lists. Crossing stuff off provides such a serotonin boost that we often make up tasks in an attempt to trick our systems into getting a free dopamine rush. One thing we have started to do is colour code our tasks in order of urgency. Pro tip: allot the highest priority slot to the micro-assignments, emails, etc. that you know will only take 5-10 minutes. Having the first task of the day be something low effort and quick really helps get over that work inertia. Once you have got the ball rolling, you can start gaining productivity and slowly build-up to the more daunting essays and projects. 
• Plan, Plan, Plan: A major source of stress during times of heavy workload is the sense of uncertainty and worry of what is yet to come. The feeling can be awfully overwhelming. Having a plan, even if not stringent, can act as a reassurance that you have the time to complete your tasks in an organized manner. Gone will be the constant concerns about how you will not be able to manage everything. Plus, with a plan, you will not waste any time thinking about what to do next after each task is complete. 
• One Step at a Time: During times of severe burnout, the temptation may be for you to think of trying to finish everything all at once, as soon as possible. On the contrary, doing so may actually slow you down on individual tasks. Once starting on a certain piece of work, focusing on only that task instead may prove much more useful. Blocking the constant thoughts about other remaining work can help reduce stress levels, minimize distractions, and improve your efficiency on the individual tasks. 
• GET OUT OF THE HOUSE: Simple, but effective. As long as you are in your comfy room, with your bed 4 feet away and Netflix only 3 clicks away, you will not get any work done. Sometimes, you just need to get out of the house and take a quick 5-minute walk! The U of T campus is gorgeous with numerous quaint cafes and places to sit. Go grab a coffee, tea, or boba, or just do a lap around the building, throw some snow in the air, and look for a squirrel to talk to. Going outside helps, try it.
• Scheduled Fun: Include an hour or two of mandatory “doing nothing” in your weekly timetable. In that hour, plan a solo date like going on a hike, spending time at the ROM, trying out a new cafe, visiting a farmers market or just walking around the city! I like to do these things either on Wednesdays (for that midweek boost) or Fridays so I have something to look forward to. When you do a bit of work before the excursion, you really feel like you have earned the break: “It’s like a reward.”
• Share a laugh: Sometimes, despite all the planning and organization, the stress can still persist deep down. As a result, you may feel depressed, and all the joy from even the simplest of tasks may feel removed. However, spending even a small amount of time talking with family or friends can drastically improve your mood and, ultimately, your morale. Recall that funny memory from ages ago because now may be about the right time to laugh about it! Accepting that the stress will remain, but keeping it at bay through laughter, can really have a positive impact. 
• Food, Water, Sleep: When experiencing burnout, taking care of yourself, cooking all your meals, sleeping on time, and drinking enough water can become difficult, but it is essential. A car without gas is nothing more than a hunk of metal, so drink your 8 glasses of water, eat your veggies, and sleep for 7 hours. That is it, that’s the tip. 

Finally, and circling back to the very beginning, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There is a ton of support available. Talk to our lovely learning strategist, Meghan Littlejohn or the amazing Innis Librarian Kate Johnson. Get help from the Innis Writing Centre if you need to bounce essay ideas off of someone or require assistance re-working an assignment. Maybe even try reaching out to the super helpful Dons if you live on res. People are nice! Talk to them. 

Think about it, you’ve made it this far! We hope our tips can help you pull yourself out of that pit of unproductivity. Best of luck!!! You are all going to crush it.