College life is full of different experiences. Sometimes it’s exciting and fun— other times – stressful and exhausting. But we keep going because we have an end goal: to graduate and become a good specialist.
But here’s what no one tells you in school: you can never predict what your life will be like post-graduation.. Students work really hard every day because they believe that all this hardship will be worth it after graduation. And if the reality doesn’t meet their expectations, many of them experience burnout.
But what is burnout? It’s an emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by being in long-term demanding situations. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent burnout after graduation.
How To Avoid Post-Graduation Burnout
1. Manage Your Expectations
Often, burnout isn’t caused by the hardships of achieving goals. Instead, it’s a result of unmet expectations. The world of work seems exciting and promising; we get it. But some things won’t go your way right from the beginning. Many of us often forget that if, for example, you want to create a chatbot agency, you may start from the very bottom in another company and learn the rules of the market from inside. Therefore, if you set unrealistic expectations, you may face many disappointments along your way.
Try not to set your goals in the minutes of inspiration. Instead, plan realistic and long-run plans for the future. And don’t forget to have plan B if things don’t go as planned.
2. Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Ruin Your Plans
Many gifted people have imposter syndrome. It’s when you undervalue your powers and think of yourself as unworthy of the position. Unfortunately, this inner voice may always intervene and try to ruin your plans. You need to constantly remind yourself how hard you’ve worked for this and that no one deserves it more.
Create a portfolio of your works and always go through it when you feel unworthy. Let your previous accomplishments inspire you to move forward in life. Silence the inner voice that wants to ruin your life.
3. Take Time Off and Connect With Your Friends
Hard work always pays off. This is what we hear when we’re still kids. And while it’s partly true, you can’t ignore the power of good rest. You don’t always have to rush into things. Over-exhaustion never helped anyone, and it certainly won’t help you.
Taking some time off is okay and even life-changing. Don’t forget to spend some time with your friends and celebrate your previous accomplishments. After all, no one’s keeping score of how much time you’ve spent resting and how much time on work. What matters is the end results. And if you don’t dedicate some time to yourself, those results won’t be as successful as you wished them to be. And if you’re stressed about money, always remember that many companies hire virtual assistants, so you can always have some cash while resting.
Final Thoughts
Burnout is a common problem among recent graduates. You’re supposed to focus on your studies while in college to secure your first real job after graduation. Unfortunately, this can raise your expectations and cause burnout if not managed in time.
This being said, students must remember, and mentors and teachers must tell them that their burnout does not define them in any way and that it is possible to overcome it.
