How to prevent burnout

Introduction

As a medical student, it is inevitable to feel very tired and helpless at times. Sometimes that will make you doubt why did you even start, and other times you will feel like this field is just not for you. All these feelings are perfectly normal, and we all have them at some point of our time studying. Although I am no professional, but here I would like to share with you some of the ways that have been very useful for me in preventing burnout.

Having something to look forward to

Whether that is going out to your favourite theme park or having a chill drink with friends occasionally, having something to look forward to always helps. Remind yourself that you are studying in advance so you can go out next week to see your friends. Keep your mind fresh by going outside and breathing some fresh air once in a while, because being stuck in your room will only make you go crazy one day! In addition to that, give yourself some time off every day, get your mind off studying and do something you enjoy. Time your breaks and try to minimise wandering off on Instagram and youtube, because it’s almost impossible to stop yourself when there’s something good on the recommendation.

 Be healthy

I have found this exceptionally helpful to me. Keeping a healthy lifestyle with regular sleep cycles are so important to keep you going. This year I have been using an app called ‘Smile Todo’ to track some of the habits that I would like to keep up with every day. It’s a very easy app to use with a very fun interphase and widgets to add to your home screen. Some habits I have been able to sustain because of this app are drinking 8 cups of water a day, eating fruits/ vegetables, and planning my day ahead! Moreover, don’t underestimate how important sleep is. Try not checking your phone before you sleep, you will be surprised how much time you’ve saved from this! Keep a regular sleep cycle and find out how many hours of sleep works best for you. I personally find taking a 30min nap in the afternoon very helpful too!

 Try new things with friends

Try different things! There are an uncountable number of ways to study. The usual ones are goodnotes, anki, doing pastpapers. But there are also a lot more, especially when there so many useful applications and sites on the internet right now. When you feel like you are not working productively, try using new methods to study, and see if that suits you better. And don’t be shy to ask your friends! Ask your groupmates how they study and ask if they would want study together at the library. Although you might end up spending some time on banter but that’s always better than one whole afternoon wasted! You guys can also share with each other fun facts that you’ve found while studying which consolidates your memory as well. The reason why I find studying with friends so effective is that we can take turns motivating each other. When you feel sleepy, your friends can grab you out for a walk; when your friend wants to give up, you can give them a big hard pat on the back!

Conclusion

We all know how hard it is to get through medical school, the work we need to put in are almost always over our expectations. But hang in there! Because we are all in this together and we need to prepare our minds and bodies for this life-long journey.