Beating Summer Burnout: Strategies for Sustained Wellness
Beating Summer Burnout: Strategies for Sustained Wellness
FINALLY, the grueling academic year and semester are complete! Ideally, summer break is a time to sit back, relax, and decompress until the new school year begins. However, for many college students, this is not always the case. Instead, summer break often becomes a stressful period filled with preparations for the next semester, internships, job applications, and more. The stress from the academic year doesn’t necessarily end when classes do.
When students finish the semester and return to their hometowns, life as they know it can be turned upside down. It’s common for college students to experience summer burnout along with anxiety, loneliness, sadness, and stress. Summer burnout manifests as extreme exhaustion and feelings of being overwhelmed, despite the academic year being over. This can be caused by various factors, such as the pressure to be productive during summer break, fluctuations in routine, worries about the upcoming semester, and lingering academic burnout from the previous term.
When the stress and adrenaline of the academic year subside, students often notice their mental health issues more acutely. It’s crucial for students to have a plan for maintaining wellness, managing stress, and combating summer burnout.
So, what can you do to avoid summer burnout and maintain wellness? Here are some tips to consider as you begin your summer break:
- Maintain a Routine: Consistency is key to preventing burnout. While it’s tempting to stay up late and sleep in, maintaining some structure can help. Incorporate self-care, regular exercise, consistent wake-up times, and regular meals into your routine.
- Stay Connected: Social connections may naturally decrease over the summer, but maintaining relationships with those who bring you happiness is important. Stay in touch with friends and family through regular FaceTime or phone calls, join a book club, and plan regular get-togethers with friends.
- Digital Detox: Constantly checking phones and social media to see what friends are up to can be draining and overwhelming, often leading to “FOMO” (fear of missing out). Taking a digital detox allows you to connect with yourself and the people around you.
- Set Boundaries: Many students work, get internships, or try to be productive during the summer. Setting boundaries is crucial to avoid overextending yourself or burning out. Allow time for mental, physical, and emotional recharge.
- Practice Self-Care: Maintaining self-care is important year-round, but it’s especially beneficial during the summer break. Take advantage of the break from academics to focus on your well-being. The academic year can be very stressful for college students, leading to lingering burnout and other intense emotions through the summer months. Implementing these strategies can help manage stress and promote wellness during this time.
In conclusion, while summer break is often seen as a time to relax and rejuvenate, many college students find it filled with its own set of challenges and stressors. By maintaining a routine, staying connected, engaging in a digital detox, setting boundaries, and practicing self-care, students can better manage the stress and prevent summer burnout. It’s important to prioritize mental and emotional well-being, ensuring that the break serves as a true pause from the rigors of the academic year.
If you or your child is experiencing struggles with their mental health or any symptoms of burnout, additional support and treatment may be needed. With thoughtful planning and self-awareness, students can make the most of their summer break and return to school feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the new semester. The Behavioral Wellness Group offers an intensive outpatient program (IOP) designed specifically for college students. The College Mental Wellness IOP is designed for individuals ages 18-25 who are enrolled in higher education or currently taking “time off/gap” due to their mental health. The CMW IOP can be a great resource to gain skills to ensure confidence and success to tackle the new semester!
Madeline McDowell Rabah, LPCC
Therapist and College Mental Wellness IOP Director
The Behavioral Wellness Group
8224 Mentor Ave #208 Mentor OH 44060
P: 440 392 2222 #412 F: 440 565 2349
mmcdowell@behavioralwellnessgroup.com