# How to avoid burning out while still achieving your potential?



## ginnyisdacoolest (Dec 26, 2010)

I've always been quite a high achiever. I did so automatically when I was younger, but now I'm in my late-teens I need to work hard to get top grades; it just doesn't come naturally anymore. This has been quite a shock, as I was used to taking A grades for granted. For a while I entertained the frankly silly idea that it was somehow honourable to burn oneself out with studying, because at least then no one could say you didn't try. But I've realised that this is just as childish a way of thinking as refusing to try at all. Everyone needs time outside of academia, hell everyone needs some time away from being productive at all, period.

So I ask you guys this; how do you find the balance between working too hard and not working enough? How much time off is enough to stop you from going insane, but not so much that you get nothing done? How often do you manage to get the balance right?

I think knowing how much one is prepared to work is a really useful piece of self-knowledge when it comes to education and choosing a career. It allows you to chose between projects, courses and careers based on how much work you'll need to put in to be successful.


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## Nomenclature (Aug 9, 2009)

I don't know how old you are, but I'm a junior. I DEFINITELY burned out by the end of last semester, and have flatlined since then, soooo... I would know all about it.

This is what I would tell my younger self:



Test out of the blow-off classes to leave room in your schedule for something worthwhile.
If you don't finish all your homework by dinner time, it's too much-- *you NEED to underschedule* so that you can have room to independently study or explore what interests you and how that might influence your career choices.
If you're worried about sleep deprivation, then FFS, do your research on any supplements you might want to take (e.g. GABA, riboflavin, whatever) to give your brain its best chance
If you do burn out, dual enrolling during the summer (i.e. when you would otherwise be doing nothing) is a potential GPA booster. Fewer classes, a ton of free time, challenging college courses, and higher GPA weighting... a high school schedule doesn't get much more ideal than that.


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## Tommy (Nov 25, 2009)

I actually think that with good attitude and sleep patterns can get you very far. I know I've let myself down with lazyness, procrastination and bad habits in general. I'm not sure if I believe in 'burning myself out'. I am practically in the same spot as you, struggling to get good grades, and coming from a place when I easily got a ton of good grades. Stuff just got boring. 

Only advice I can give you is, have self perception. Have discipline and don't let yourself down. Figure out what you want to do, and then work towards that goal. If you haven't found the 'thing' you're passionate about, then don't burn bridges. Good sleep is important! Research it and fix your rhythm, I've found out that good sleep improves your memory, and if I'd sleep well the whole school year, I would have learned a lot more.


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## sparkles (Mar 2, 2011)

ginnyisdacoolest said:


> I've always been quite a high achiever. I did so automatically when I was younger, but now I'm in my late-teens I need to work hard to get top grades; it just doesn't come naturally anymore. This has been quite a shock, as I was used to taking A grades for granted. For a while I entertained the frankly silly idea that it was somehow honourable to burn oneself out with studying, because at least then no one could say you didn't try. But I've realised that this is just as childish a way of thinking as refusing to try at all. Everyone needs time outside of academia, hell everyone needs some time away from being productive at all, period.
> 
> So I ask you guys this; how do you find the balance between working too hard and not working enough? How much time off is enough to stop you from going insane, but not so much that you get nothing done? How often do you manage to get the balance right?
> 
> I think knowing how much one is prepared to work is a really useful piece of self-knowledge when it comes to education and choosing a career. It allows you to chose between projects, courses and careers based on how much work you'll need to put in to be successful.


For me it all boils down to whether I find the topic interesting or fun. If it's interesting or fun I can let it suck hours of my "me time" without noticing or feeling deprived. In some situations I'd apply mental tricks - find the glimmer of fun in the topic to use as motivation. Because it's pulling a cart through mud for me to try and make myself do something that feels too much like work. Finding a way to make it enjoyable made it feel less of a hassle, less of a drudgery, and that also allowed me to not get so burned out so quickly (because I conditioned myself to see it as a fun thing).

I'd say learn ways to work smarter, not harder. But also bear in mind once you join the working world, you might end up in a company that wants you to look busy even if you've completed your real work for the day. My preference is to work for a place that believes in working smart, not hard, but each to their own (and many places have the rigid industrious look busy vibe anyway).

Look at ways to streamline your study habits. Try to go over notes briefly once at the end of the day to integrate the info a bit more easily. Figure out whether you're mostly an auditory, visual or kinesthetic learner and capitalize on that when you study or do your assignments. For me, kinesthetic, I could learn the material by rewriting my notes once or twice.

As for a balance, well, I think the key might be to try optimizing your existing approach to school so you might have more free time for the fun stuff. The above post about taking summer classes is also good advice. I have heard that exactly what sort of balance works is an individual matter. I found unless I was in a state of flow (where you're just smoothly going through tasks, high concentration, etc.), it was most helpful to set an alarm to work for 20 minute increments, with a 5-10 minute break in between. Better endurance that way, for me, but we're all individuals. I'm a bit of a spaz so short bursts of concentration to work was optimal for me.

Honestly, I'm not sure I avoided burnout. School isn't structured to avoid it, and isn't structured to be conducive to learning new info either. The average mind can only pay attention to integrate 20 minutes worth of new info. I've never in my life seen a class designed with that in mind. My point is that the system isn't set up well, so you're working within a broken system. 

I'd also suggest making yourself devote at least one day a week to doing nothing OR a hobby of your choice that has nothing to do with your education. One day a week just for fun and just for you won't make/break your academic marks. I'd say one day (maybe a weekend day?) would be a minimum to build into your schedule to avoid burnout. Also bear in mind the system just isn't really set up to avoid it completely, so it is on YOU to create limits and build renewal into your routine. At the same time, you might be surprised to learn how much one can still accomplish past the point of burnout.


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