Hunter Epperson ~ Copy Desk Chief
College students face many mental illnesses associated with mental burnout such as anxiety and depression.
Some common signs of mental burnout can include mental exhaustion, a sense of dread about work, frequent feelings of cynicism, frequent feelings of anger, and/or frequent feelings of irritability.
As humans, we tend to overextend ourselves by trying to help others or be involved in organizations, work, or other activities which consume our time.
As a consequence, we often forget to include ourselves or put ourselves first which means our health and wellness becomes impacted.
Often, we neglect sleep or finding time for ourselves to let our minds and body decompress.
This is a friendly reminder that it is okay if we put ourselves first sometimes.
Our health, wellness, and bodies matter.
We deserve to take care of ourselves, and we should make sure we take care of ourselves.
When we neglect to take care of ourselves, we cannot take care of the ones we love or do the things we care about. Here are some tips:
- Practice the 8-8-8 rule. (8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work, 8 hours of time for yourself)
- Learn to say no. It is okay to say no in order to take care of yourself and spend time focusing on you.
- Selfcare is not “me first, but me too”.
- Find one or two things you really enjoy doing and limit yourself to just those things. This will help prevent over-doing yourself.
- Try to make and keep a schedule. Making a schedule and keeping ourselves in a routine can help us manage our time and daily hassles.
- Make a to-do list. To-do lists are not for everyone, but writing down chores on a to-do list can help us ensure that we do not overbook ourselves.
- Learn how to walk away. It is okay if we quit things, especially extracurriculars if they cause us to neglect our selfcare. We are not obligated to things that no longer bring us joy.
