Burnout is real: how I stay motivated during busy study periods
Final-year student Stefina shares how she stays motivated during exams, manages workloads, and protects her wellbeing while dealing with burnout at university.
If you’d asked me in my first year what burnout felt like, I probably would’ve said “being tired.”
Now, in my final year at the University of Birmingham Dubai, I know it’s not as simple as that. Burnout, for me, isn’t just exhaustion. It’s when your motivation quietly slips away, everything feels heavier than it should, and even things I usually enjoy start to feel overwhelming.
This has been my story recently, juggling the final year of my degree. I’m serving as President of the Students' Association, leading TEDx on campus, and balancing my social life. Deadlines overlap, responsibilities pile up, and it feels like I'm drowning in work.
Over time, though, I’m learning how to manage the pressure without letting it completely drain me. I’m still struggling with it; it's a work in progress, but here are a few things I have done that have helped me stay motivated and avoid burning out completely during busy study periods.
1. I learned what burnout feels like for me
Burnout doesn’t hit me all at once. It creeps in.
I see its signs when I start rereading the same paragraph over and over without actually understanding anything, or when I feel guilty for resting even when I desperately need it. Small tasks suddenly feel huge, my patience drops, and I forget to take a breather.
Once I learned to recognise those signs early, everything changed. Instead of pushing harder like my instincts tell me to, I pause and reassess. Avoiding burnout is much easier than trying to recover from it later.
2. I stopped glorifying being “busy”
For a long time, I thought being constantly busy meant I was doing well. My dopamine levels skyrocketed when I finished a task. My calendar was full of lectures, meetings, planning sessions, and deadlines.
While it looked impressive, I ended up exhausted and tired.
I’ve learned that true productivity doesn’t mean doing everything at once. What it really means is looking at the big picture and breaking it down day by day.
Some days are for deep academic focus, others are for student association work, while a few are just about getting through. Letting go of the idea that I need to be busy all the time has made responsibilities feel lighter and more manageable.
3. I plan my week, not just my deadlines
Instead of only writing down submission dates, I plan how my week will look and feel.
I schedule time for:
- Studying and revision
- Meetings and commitments
- Rest and movement
- Doing nothing (like actually)
It got to a point where a friend actually forced me to set aside one hour every day purely for leisure: no work, no guilt, no multitasking.
I don’t follow it as much as I would have preferred, but it’s still a start, and I am working towards keeping it a consistent part of my daily schedule. Seeing relaxation reserved in my planner makes it real, rather than a hopeful idea in my mind.
Weekly planning also helps me avoid last-minute panic. I can see my workload clearly rather than managing an endless checklist in my head. Some say it’s excessive, but at times it could be the key to not completely drowning in work.
4. I change my environment when motivation drops
When studying at my desk stops working, I don’t force it.
Sometimes a change of environment makes all the difference. Moving to a different spot on campus, sitting somewhere with natural light, or even stepping outside for a short walk. A new space often gives my brain the reset it needs. Sometimes regaining that motivation is as simple as changing your surroundings.
5. I never struggle alone
My instinct when I start to feel overwhelmed is to deal with it quietly. But every time I’ve opened up to a friend, a classmate, or someone from the Student Wellbeing team at the University, it’s helped far more than struggling alone ever did.
University isn’t meant to be a solo experience. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. It means you’re using the support around you – and that’s a strength, not a weakness.
6. I protect one thing that isn’t ‘productive’
No matter how busy things get, I always make time for one non-negotiable thing in my routine: movement. Be it table tennis, basketball or dance.
It’s the one hour when I’m not a student, not the President, not the Head of TEDx. I’m present, moving, laughing, and playing the game. I’m just myself. It resets my brain and gives me something to get my competitive side out. Besides, is there a better way to relax than playing team sports with friends and spending quality time with them?
7. I remind myself why I started
When motivation drops, I question why I took on all these responsibilities. I remind myself why I chose this, why being involved on campus matters to me, and why I care about making an impact beyond grades.
Burnout narrows perspective; reflection widens it again. Remembering the bigger picture helps me push through tough weeks without losing sight of what I’m working towards.
8. I give myself permission to be imperfect
Some weeks, everything clicks. Other weeks, I’m just doing my best, and that’s enough.
You don’t need to be constantly motivated to succeed at university. You just need to keep going, adapting when things don’t go to plan, and being kind to yourself in the process.
To summarise,
If you’re worried about juggling your workload, responsibilities, academics and wellbeing, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and honestly, I often find myself back there as well.
But despite that, I’m trying my best to manage student leadership, major projects, and my final year work, while still making time for fun activities and rest.
If I can, then I believe you too can overcome burnout and hold onto whatever it is that’s important to you – with the right mindset and support.
Burnout is real. But so is balance, growth, and finding a system that works for you.
And you don’t need to have it all figured out from day one.