I used to feel guilty taking breaks, let alone go a whole day without doing any academic tasks, especially if I had an assignment or exam approaching. However, I have learned to be more mindful of my mental health and actively allocate time for myself or simply take a break when I begin to feel overwhelmed.
I had grown used to studying so often that I felt that I couldn’t even enjoy my free time. I still haven’t completely rid myself of this feeling, though it has immensely improved because I have come to the realisation that I do deserve a break. I work hard and study hard, and am now moving towards studying smarter instead. Hence, I feel happy when I reward myself with a break.
Managing my tasks better has been a great technique to reduce my stress because I know that I am not wasting my time on meaningless tasks, and directing my attention to the most critical tasks.
Now I don’t feel as burnt-out, I feel happy.