Learning how to be compassionate to yourself

Vol 27, Issue 11, 29 November 2024

Recently I have been feeling quite burned out. I have heard a lot of jokes that November is a worst month for students, but now I am actually going through it, and we all are, in fact. Students have a lot of deadlines, exams and all that pressure of finishing the first semester. It initially took me a great time to realize how valuable rest is in humans’ life. I have been such a person, who always tried to be productive and manage to do a lot of things at a time. I thought that I have a longer attention span, and I can work longer without breaks. I watched a lot of motivational videos and all that stuff where they say that we are all lazy, we got to work harder, we have to wake up earlier and archive our goals. I tried to work out 5-6 days in a week, study every day and reduce my screen time. I know, even for me it sounds kind of crazy now, but that was my reality. Until it all crashed, when I realized that I come home everyday feeling completely drained and instead of taking my time to recover, I only push myself harder and say that I am being lazy. That all became a cycle, that sometimes broke on weekends, when I showed some mercy and allowed myself to relax for a bit. Nevertheless, from Monday it all started again. If it is familiar for anyone, I am here to help.

1. Sink into what you feel.

Do not try to run away from your feeling. Accept them and feel them fully. You might want to use journal to write it all down or talk to your loved ones about how you feel, but do not try to escape and avoid your state.

2. Do what you feel like doing.

Something that helped me, was just taking time and actually forcing myself to rest and slow down for a bit. I did nothing the entire day, was scrolling on my phone and being completely unproductive. My screen time was around 5 hours, and I slept 10 hours. That was my time off. And yes, you are allowed to be lazy.

3. Be merciful to yourself.

I used a journal to write a letter to myself. It might be useful for someone to imagine what you would tell your friend, if they tell you they are feeling completely wiped out. Write down kind words for yourself.

4. Stop in time.

Learn how to take breaks while you are studying or working. It is actually the most common advice to give, but personally I did not know how important it is. I was the one who stopped only when I could not take information anymore. Set the timer and take breaks regularly. Even if you do not feel tired, do take a break! It will help you stay productive longer without feeling like your brain is not braining anymore.

5. Give yourself time to recover.

Try to sleep better and set a rhythm. When you feel like sleeping longer and have no need to get up early, just let yourself. Do not be so harsh on yourself for wanting to rest.

I sincerely hope that this helped and eased your mind for a bit. I kindly encourage you to remember that you are never alone, and we all struggle with something in our lives.