The third quarter can be one of the most difficult times of the year for students. With summer break still months away, end-of-year tests looming, and short, cold days, there is little to look forward to. Additionally, with President’s Day being the only day off, the quarter can seem never-ending, leading to intense feelings of burnout.
The Albert Einstein College of Medicine states that burnout “occurs when you feel overwhelmed and are unable to meet constant demands.” Here are a few ways to combat this feeling of burnout and push through the long third-quarter stretch.
Tip One: Use A Planner
The third quarter can seem overwhelming for everyone, especially with its endless assignments. Using a planner is a great tool to manage life’s stressors and tasks. Although many school assignments are on Schoology, a planner, be it online or on paper, can help you organize your school work and out-of-school activities.
Additionally, completing work the day you receive it can help you avoid work pileups. As many students have busy schedules, it can seem overwhelming and hard to finish everything on time.
“I have a Google document where I keep running to-do lists…” said junior Ally Campbell, “For big tests, I make study plans, where about a week before a test … I’ll go through and make a little bullet for each day. Under it, I outline every task with links that I’ll do each day, to keep myself accountable.”
Tip Two: Go Outside
While the cold weather can seem uninviting for some, fresh air is important. According to St. Mary’s Health System, fresh air decreases your heart rate, gives you more energy, and elevates your mood. After spending long days in the classroom, spending time outside after school can help clear your head and increase your energy before tackling homework or other activities.
Tip Three: Set Achievable, Short Term Goals
While you may not have much motivation during the third quarter, setting short-term goals can help you stay motivated to continue working diligently. If you still find that setting goals does not help you complete tasks, you can create rewards for yourself. For instance, if you get a good grade on a test, take the afternoon off and do something fun. Or if you worked hard and got all your work done during the week, plan fun activities for the weekend.
Tip Four: Get Quality Sleep
Sleep is vital to avoiding burnout. Without quality sleep, we feel tired, unmotivated, and groggy. According to the CDC, teenagers aged 13-18 should sleep eight-10 hours daily. Of course, due to demanding sports and school work this is not always attainable, but planning out your week can help you sleep more. Some students have found other ways to make up for the lack of sleep on certain nights.
“If I know I’m going to have a late night, I’ll sleep a few more hours the night before,” said Senior Marin Baroody.
Along with getting adequate hours of sleep, sleep hygiene – which helps with deeper, more restful sleep – is also important. Some good habits include going to bed around the same time every night, avoiding caffeine three to seven hours before bed, and eating a good dinner. These recommendations help you feel restful during the day, so you can focus and complete school work even when you are not fully motivated.
Tip Five: Use Friends To Stay Accountable
Knowing that you are not the only one struggling in the third quarter can help when you are feeling unmotivated and burnt out. Setting study dates with friends on the weekend or studying together during Mustang Block can help you stay accountable and focused. You can make group chats with friends in the same class as you or join academic clubs with people who have the same interests as you.
