Life Balance & Stress

As a college student, you have a busy life, which means maintaining balance or making time for the things you value as a student can be difficult. Students who overcommit themselves to academics, extracurriculars, and social activities can experience burnout and an increase in overall stress levels. Identifying priorities and proactive strategies can be a great first step in cultivating your preferred life balance.

ACADEMIC BURNOUT

You’ve likely heard of the term burnout, especially as a student, but what does it really mean to be burnt-out. “Burnout is more than just not wanting to do your work; burnout is a form of chronic stress from extended periods of mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion. Burnout often forms when people are forced to navigate multiple, intersecting life stressors over extended periods of time” (Oregon State University)

Academic burnout can be characterized as a negative emotional, physical and mental reaction to prolonged study that results in exhaustion, frustration, lack of motivation, and reduced ability in school.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ACADEMIC BURNOUT

• Constant exhaustion, no matter how much you rest
• Dreading responsibilities you once enjoyed
  
• Feeling detached, unmotivated, or emotionally numb
• Struggling to focus or making more mistakes than usual
• Feeling irritable, anxious, or overwhelmed more often than not
• Having frequent physical symptoms like headaches, digestive issues, or muscle tension

(Source: Mental Health America)

LIFE BALANCE STRATEGIES 

Use a planner or a digital calendar: Planners are a great way to stay organized and help you visualize the events, activities, and assignments coming up in your life. By checking your planner every day, you can make sure not to miss any important deadlines. Using a planner or calendar can also help you identify times throughout the day that are being underutilized or where you might need to take a break due to overload in your schedule. If planners aren’t your thing, there are plenty of great alternatives like phone apps and project management applications.

Practice saying no: As a student it is easy to overcommit your already busy schedule with clubs, activities, events, and academics. However, try to only say yes to activities and events that fit in with priorities and values. It can also be helpful to think about how saying yes to something will make you feel. Are you excited and does saying yes to this thing bring you joy, or does it make you feel overwhelmed and anxious? If the latter is true, consider saying no and use that time in a way that works best for you.

Make time for breaks: Taking regular breaks is essential to maintaining your wellbeing and avoiding burnout. While taking a break may feel counterproductive at times, scheduling intentional pauses throughout the day, whether it’s a short walk between classes, a 10-minute mindfulness session, or a coffee break with friends, can give your brain time to reset and recharge.

Ask for help when needed: Don’t hesitate to ask for support when you need it. Whether you're struggling with a class or facing challenges with your mental health, reaching out to friends, family, or professors can make a big difference. Take advantage of on-campus resources like academic support services, learning strategies programs, and the health and counseling center. Everyone needs help at different points in their lives, acknowledging your struggles and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.

ON-CAMPUS RESOURCES

Center for Cura Personalis: Non-clinical case managers at the Center for Cura Personalis promote holistic wellbeing for students, connecting them to resources that they may not know of. This is a great place to start for anyone who needs some support with their mental health, classes, or relationships.

To set up an appointment with a case manager email ccp@gonzaga.edu or call 509-313-2227. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Health and Counselling Services: Prolonged stress and burnout is never pleasant, but without support these feelings can significantly impact your mental health. Gonzaga's Health and Counseling Services has five full-time fully licensed therapists in addition to the director who is a licensed psychologist. These providers offer walk-in crisis counseling, individual counseling appointments, group counseling, and consultations for off-campus referrals. All of these services are included in your wellness fee and free of charge! Health and Counseling Services can also provide referrals to community providers as needed.

Call 509-313-4052 or email studenthealth@gonzaga.edu to make a counseling appointment. Walk-in crisis appointments are also available during normal business hours.

Learning Strategies: With a dedicated team that offers one-on-one academic coaching, peer mentoring, and interactive workshops, Learning Strategies can support your life balance by helping with time management, organization, study habits, and test preparation.

Learning Strategies is located in Foley Library 203. You can make an Academic Coaching appointment, or walk-ins are welcome.

Office of Health Promotion:

Self-Care Sunday is a weekly interactive email series created by students, for students. Each edition offers thoughtful prompts, practical tips, and engaging self-care activities that encourage you to pause, reflect, and recharge despite hectic schedules. A community of over 200 students, staff, and faculty receive the newsletter every week. Sign up today to receive the next issue and gain access to a growing archive of past newsletters filled with inspiration and support.

OFF-CAMPUS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

Burnout vs Depression: Learn the difference between depression and burnout, how burnout develops and some ways to avoid it or deal with it once you have it.

Understanding Burnout and How to Take Breaks: Cognitive neuroscientist from UC Berkeley Dr. Sahar Yousef explains the science behind burnout, exploring the causes, the symptoms, and the steps we can all take to reduce burnout and prevent it from occurring.

5 Tips for Managing Stress: Stress is a universal experience that affects everyone differently. The JED Foundation shares that while we can’t always control what causes stress, we can develop healthy ways to respond to it. Read to learn about five tips you can use to help you manage stress while in college and after you leave college.

Priorities Worksheet: Use this worksheet to help you prioritize tasks for your day, week, or month. Breaking down your assignments, events, activities, chores, etc. into categories such as ‘must do’, ‘should do’, and ‘could do’ can help you create a healthy life balance.

Time management: Student life can be hectic. However, time management can be a total game changer. Use this article to help you find your sweet spot between student life and time management so you can become a time management pro.

Time to Ungrind: Time To Ungrind is a student-driven movement to push against hustle and grind culture. Hear from real students on what they think about hustling vs relaxing, and what they do to handle stress. You can also find resources on creating new habits and how to start saying no.

MEDITATIONS

A five minute meditation for self-care

A ten minute meditation for reframing stress