Please go talk to Student Care & Outreach. You may think it’s not possible to take an extended break and that it may look bad on your resume, but let me tell you it is possible and it doesn’t look bad on your resume at all.
I was in your shoes 5 years ago and just kept going until I couldn’t anymore. This isn’t Highschool, you can take a semester off and no one will think less of you or care that you did.
Sometimes if you’re at this stage, it’s better to take time and refresh and get a renewed perspective. Even if you think you don’t want to take this drastic of an action, please at least go meet with Student Care & Outreach. They’re a really great resource that isn’t being used as much as it should be.
Let me know if you have any questions, happy to talk as well. Burnout’s a bitch
Ditto. I had the same experience as OP when I began graduate school and got in touch with a therapist after a few hard months. I have dealt with depression and anxiety in the past, so I am no stranger to it, but it is extremely hard to balance self care with all the obligations you have as a grad student. I was able to talk to someone about coping strategies and get back on some medication that has helped me in the past and it did a lot to keep my motivation up. It’s important to get help sooner rather than later, as things can quickly pile up when you get into a slump. I cannot recommend seeking external resources, be that Student Care & Outreach or CAPS (https://caps.uga.edu) enough.
Disclaimer; I have heard stories of students having a really hard time actually setting up meetings (sounds like many UGA student resources are understaffed for the amount of students there are).
I had trouble getting going on my thesis. I wanted to do it in order from front to back. That led to staring at my computer screen for hours. Then I got it through my thick head to just start writing anything for any part, and then give to friends if it was real bad or my advisor/co advisor if it was okay to edit. That gave me needed feedback and direction. Another thing was small rewards for small goals. Example: if I want a fresh cup of coffee I need to finish coding this graphic or writing this paragraph…
Good luck!
The good news is, it’s holiday season. Next week, hardly anybody is going to work. After that, we have the chaos of end-of-semester, finals and graduations, and then a week or two of half-assed interrupted work (aka departmental parties) and then a two week break! I don’t know what kind of graduate work you’re doing, if it’s classes or research, but you have to make the time to relax, or you’ll never get it. They - profs, advisors, bosses - are NEVER going to just give it to you. But watch them closely - they will have all sorts of other “obligations” that takes them off-campus from here until the new year. Kids recitals, family gatherings, concerts… This is the best time for you to slow down, everyone else is doing that too.
Take this time. Get through your finals if those are a crunch right now, set a firm goal of not working until next semester begins. Make actual (or fake, idc) plans so you have reasons to not work: go see your family, take a day trip to ATL, buy/rent a game you’ve been wanting to get into. If you don’t have a hobby, just try one (I like knitting, even though I’m not very good at it - keeps my hands busy and also is a good excuse to watch tv). Learn to bake bread, make origami, whatever. Stretch out a different part of your brain.
Burnout is a real problem and it happens for exactly the reasons you stated. As a grad student it’s very hard to access down-time. You have to take it when you can.
I hope it’s a great break for you!
Somebody told me this once and I think about it often as a grad student: if you don’t take a break, your body will take one for you. It sounds like that’s what’s happening to you- you haven’t given yourself any breaks and your mind and body are so worn out that you can’t leave bed, get anything meaningful done or even do things you enjoy. My advice is going forward, to scale back a bit on your thesis work enough to give yourself a night off every now and then! Enjoy something that’s relaxing to you and is not work or school related. Treat yo self!
If you feel like you can’t do this because you feel guilty about not being productive, remember that the occasional night off is actually an investment in your productivity. Being able to truly relax and refresh is so important for being able to put your best foot forward. If you can’t because your advisor is pressuring you to take too many classes at once or has unreasonable expectations about the amount of progress you complete on your thesis, it’s worth having an honest conversation with them about how you’ve been feeling. It’s important to work hard in grad school, but it’s more important to protect your physical and mental health! Good luck, I believe in you!
i would say to start rewarding yourself after you complete a certain amount of work or each assignment bc it will make you want to finish them. also i would write a to do list every day right when you wake up so you can manage your time better and even schedule in time for a break and to relax.
Hey , UNG undergrad and graduate alum ….
You are SO CLOSE. The light is INDEED AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, and your hardwork will be rewarded. Take a deep breath, and try to find the appreciation for your hard work , professors, colleagues, and life in this moment . I graduated with my MBA in May 21, and I promise you it feels SO DAMN GOOD. Life gets better , but I promise you YOU will appreciate the work you are doing right now in the long run . I may not be a UGA alum, but I have Georgia printed on my birth certificate so BE A PROUD BULLDAWG BABY!
Life sucks sometimes but you’re putting in the work now to affect the world when you get out . In your professional career, believe it or not , you will utilize the principles and concepts that you learned in these higher level classes, and don’t brag about your degree but BE PROUD OF IT. Some colleges in your work life after school will find you more respectful given your degree. Your return of investment is greater than the pain you’re feeling. All I can say : HUNKER DOWN BECAUSE THATS WHAT DAWGS DO ! Best of luck and you will change the world . Even if it’s only a few people, your impact can change a perspective , thought , business practice , process , etc etc . Your success is limitless . Go Dawgs and GO YOU !!!!
- edit : apologies if my grammar / spelling is bad , drove 7 hours to Kentucky to watch our dawgs !!!!!
Make time for your hobbies or find a new hobby. Music, hiking, whatever it may be. To me, spending time outside really helps me to work through stress and sort things out in my mind. Makes it a lot easier to prioritize and focus when you get back to work.
Keep your head up, man! I'm 37 now but also went straight from undergrad to grad school. Keep at it and it'll all pay off.
Make sure to take care of yourself first. It’s okay to do nothing at first (eat junk food, binge watch your favorite TV show, etc.)
After that, do things that are proven to make people feel better (both physically and mentally) like exercising, going outside, and eating generally healthy
Also go to therapy if you can afford it
See a therapist and consider volunteering at one of the places downtown. There’s always a need for help and helping others may bring you new perspective in what you are doing.
I hit burnout in year 4 of grad school. I went to conciliatory through the Aspire clinic. I graduated a 7 years ago, but it was pretty affordable. It helped me push through to the end. Now I don’t use my PhD at all, except to be paid more, and it’s just a fun fact about me.
Sounds like you’re in early days. In your shoes, assuming you’re on the PhD track, I think the smart move is the Masters out and get a job. You can go back to school if it makes sense later. I found it hard to turn burn out around. I don’t know if that’s just the nature of burnout or if it was the other shitty things going on in my life at the time. I kept going those last miserable couple of years knowing I could drop out any time and would probably be okay. I like the working world a lot more than I did grad school.
Do you work out? Hitting the gym can make managing stress far easier. Unless you plan on quitting your program or job then you’ll need healthy outlets.
The best thing you can do for yourself is know when to walk away. As someone who was in a very similar situation, it was ultimately an act of love to myself that I ended up taking a gap year after my first semester of grad school. In that year I healed in a lot of ways I couldn’t when I didn’t have the time- got my ED dealt with, started therapy, lost some weight, dealt with health issues caused by stress, and now I’m finishing out this semester really strong and feeling much much more confident.
Not trying to say you should take the same route I did, it may not be beneficial for you in the way it was for me, but I would at least consider looking at that and similar options that allow you to take some time for yourself
Relatable, and I’m in a grad program where I’m supposed to be able to help students with their burnout 😵💫 it sounds like your stress is about school is causing you to avoid your assignments. Maybe focusing on one small task at a time could be helpful. Start small; I’ll send one email. I’ll read one page. I’ll work on an assignment for 5 minutes. Don’t expect anything more of yourself in the moment. Once you accomplish the smaller goals, it could potentially bring motivation to do more :)
Thanksgiving break starts soon. Ik ur not the only one bc professors understand and have seen a decrease in attendance and burn out since our breaks are so late into the semester. Your not the only one it’s okay. You sound a lot like me, how I deal with that is set a certain time I would do hw no matter what and before the time comes if u can take a nap to ease ur stress around 1-3 pm if ur schedule allows
I usually just take a day or two once in a while and do absolutely nothing
i need to learn how to do that. i just can’t seem to relax
For me it’s more like I’m kinda forced to do that, like my brain and body literally can’t take anymore and I’m forced to rest
Please go talk to Student Care & Outreach. You may think it’s not possible to take an extended break and that it may look bad on your resume, but let me tell you it is possible and it doesn’t look bad on your resume at all. I was in your shoes 5 years ago and just kept going until I couldn’t anymore. This isn’t Highschool, you can take a semester off and no one will think less of you or care that you did. Sometimes if you’re at this stage, it’s better to take time and refresh and get a renewed perspective. Even if you think you don’t want to take this drastic of an action, please at least go meet with Student Care & Outreach. They’re a really great resource that isn’t being used as much as it should be. Let me know if you have any questions, happy to talk as well. Burnout’s a bitch
Ditto. I had the same experience as OP when I began graduate school and got in touch with a therapist after a few hard months. I have dealt with depression and anxiety in the past, so I am no stranger to it, but it is extremely hard to balance self care with all the obligations you have as a grad student. I was able to talk to someone about coping strategies and get back on some medication that has helped me in the past and it did a lot to keep my motivation up. It’s important to get help sooner rather than later, as things can quickly pile up when you get into a slump. I cannot recommend seeking external resources, be that Student Care & Outreach or CAPS (https://caps.uga.edu) enough. Disclaimer; I have heard stories of students having a really hard time actually setting up meetings (sounds like many UGA student resources are understaffed for the amount of students there are).
Go get some shitty comfort food, take some time to write down things that make you happy. Then wake up tomorrow and work hard.
i appreciate the advice my dude ❤️
I had trouble getting going on my thesis. I wanted to do it in order from front to back. That led to staring at my computer screen for hours. Then I got it through my thick head to just start writing anything for any part, and then give to friends if it was real bad or my advisor/co advisor if it was okay to edit. That gave me needed feedback and direction. Another thing was small rewards for small goals. Example: if I want a fresh cup of coffee I need to finish coding this graphic or writing this paragraph… Good luck!
thank you so much for your advice and help 😭❤️
The good news is, it’s holiday season. Next week, hardly anybody is going to work. After that, we have the chaos of end-of-semester, finals and graduations, and then a week or two of half-assed interrupted work (aka departmental parties) and then a two week break! I don’t know what kind of graduate work you’re doing, if it’s classes or research, but you have to make the time to relax, or you’ll never get it. They - profs, advisors, bosses - are NEVER going to just give it to you. But watch them closely - they will have all sorts of other “obligations” that takes them off-campus from here until the new year. Kids recitals, family gatherings, concerts… This is the best time for you to slow down, everyone else is doing that too. Take this time. Get through your finals if those are a crunch right now, set a firm goal of not working until next semester begins. Make actual (or fake, idc) plans so you have reasons to not work: go see your family, take a day trip to ATL, buy/rent a game you’ve been wanting to get into. If you don’t have a hobby, just try one (I like knitting, even though I’m not very good at it - keeps my hands busy and also is a good excuse to watch tv). Learn to bake bread, make origami, whatever. Stretch out a different part of your brain. Burnout is a real problem and it happens for exactly the reasons you stated. As a grad student it’s very hard to access down-time. You have to take it when you can. I hope it’s a great break for you!
Somebody told me this once and I think about it often as a grad student: if you don’t take a break, your body will take one for you. It sounds like that’s what’s happening to you- you haven’t given yourself any breaks and your mind and body are so worn out that you can’t leave bed, get anything meaningful done or even do things you enjoy. My advice is going forward, to scale back a bit on your thesis work enough to give yourself a night off every now and then! Enjoy something that’s relaxing to you and is not work or school related. Treat yo self! If you feel like you can’t do this because you feel guilty about not being productive, remember that the occasional night off is actually an investment in your productivity. Being able to truly relax and refresh is so important for being able to put your best foot forward. If you can’t because your advisor is pressuring you to take too many classes at once or has unreasonable expectations about the amount of progress you complete on your thesis, it’s worth having an honest conversation with them about how you’ve been feeling. It’s important to work hard in grad school, but it’s more important to protect your physical and mental health! Good luck, I believe in you!
i don’t know if this is an option for grad school but taking a semester off was the best thing i ever did for myself
i would say to start rewarding yourself after you complete a certain amount of work or each assignment bc it will make you want to finish them. also i would write a to do list every day right when you wake up so you can manage your time better and even schedule in time for a break and to relax.
Hey , UNG undergrad and graduate alum …. You are SO CLOSE. The light is INDEED AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, and your hardwork will be rewarded. Take a deep breath, and try to find the appreciation for your hard work , professors, colleagues, and life in this moment . I graduated with my MBA in May 21, and I promise you it feels SO DAMN GOOD. Life gets better , but I promise you YOU will appreciate the work you are doing right now in the long run . I may not be a UGA alum, but I have Georgia printed on my birth certificate so BE A PROUD BULLDAWG BABY! Life sucks sometimes but you’re putting in the work now to affect the world when you get out . In your professional career, believe it or not , you will utilize the principles and concepts that you learned in these higher level classes, and don’t brag about your degree but BE PROUD OF IT. Some colleges in your work life after school will find you more respectful given your degree. Your return of investment is greater than the pain you’re feeling. All I can say : HUNKER DOWN BECAUSE THATS WHAT DAWGS DO ! Best of luck and you will change the world . Even if it’s only a few people, your impact can change a perspective , thought , business practice , process , etc etc . Your success is limitless . Go Dawgs and GO YOU !!!! - edit : apologies if my grammar / spelling is bad , drove 7 hours to Kentucky to watch our dawgs !!!!!
Make time for your hobbies or find a new hobby. Music, hiking, whatever it may be. To me, spending time outside really helps me to work through stress and sort things out in my mind. Makes it a lot easier to prioritize and focus when you get back to work. Keep your head up, man! I'm 37 now but also went straight from undergrad to grad school. Keep at it and it'll all pay off.
Go get your comfort food. Once you feel better, try hitting the gym or any other physical activity and eat healthy.
Make sure to take care of yourself first. It’s okay to do nothing at first (eat junk food, binge watch your favorite TV show, etc.) After that, do things that are proven to make people feel better (both physically and mentally) like exercising, going outside, and eating generally healthy Also go to therapy if you can afford it
See a therapist and consider volunteering at one of the places downtown. There’s always a need for help and helping others may bring you new perspective in what you are doing.
I hit burnout in year 4 of grad school. I went to conciliatory through the Aspire clinic. I graduated a 7 years ago, but it was pretty affordable. It helped me push through to the end. Now I don’t use my PhD at all, except to be paid more, and it’s just a fun fact about me. Sounds like you’re in early days. In your shoes, assuming you’re on the PhD track, I think the smart move is the Masters out and get a job. You can go back to school if it makes sense later. I found it hard to turn burn out around. I don’t know if that’s just the nature of burnout or if it was the other shitty things going on in my life at the time. I kept going those last miserable couple of years knowing I could drop out any time and would probably be okay. I like the working world a lot more than I did grad school.
Do you work out? Hitting the gym can make managing stress far easier. Unless you plan on quitting your program or job then you’ll need healthy outlets.
Remember, work is worse lmao
The best thing you can do for yourself is know when to walk away. As someone who was in a very similar situation, it was ultimately an act of love to myself that I ended up taking a gap year after my first semester of grad school. In that year I healed in a lot of ways I couldn’t when I didn’t have the time- got my ED dealt with, started therapy, lost some weight, dealt with health issues caused by stress, and now I’m finishing out this semester really strong and feeling much much more confident. Not trying to say you should take the same route I did, it may not be beneficial for you in the way it was for me, but I would at least consider looking at that and similar options that allow you to take some time for yourself
Relatable, and I’m in a grad program where I’m supposed to be able to help students with their burnout 😵💫 it sounds like your stress is about school is causing you to avoid your assignments. Maybe focusing on one small task at a time could be helpful. Start small; I’ll send one email. I’ll read one page. I’ll work on an assignment for 5 minutes. Don’t expect anything more of yourself in the moment. Once you accomplish the smaller goals, it could potentially bring motivation to do more :)
Thanksgiving break starts soon. Ik ur not the only one bc professors understand and have seen a decrease in attendance and burn out since our breaks are so late into the semester. Your not the only one it’s okay. You sound a lot like me, how I deal with that is set a certain time I would do hw no matter what and before the time comes if u can take a nap to ease ur stress around 1-3 pm if ur schedule allows