Stress is a normal part of college life, and many students find that their mental health tanks during the winter months. Academic burnout can lead to mental and physical exhaustion, curbing one’s motivation to complete work.

For students facing such issues, JMU wants to lend a helping hand. The Counseling Center, located in the Student Success Center, offers a multitude of counseling options to enrolled JMU students free of charge. 

“Academic success is important to students and the university, but avoiding burnout goes hand in hand with having a healthy work-life balance,” said Karla Kale, who manages the center’s programming and outreach efforts.

Many people are unaware they’re suffering from burnout and don’t know how to remedy it, Kale said. “Recognizing burnout can be challenging because it often has a very gradual onset. Thankfully, self-awareness can help with both achieving work-life balance and avoiding burnout. Learn to recognize the individualized signs that will tell you when it starts to feel like too much.”

To help identify burnout, Kale suggests asking yourself these questions:

1. What is the most effective way to balance the multiple demands of classes?
2. How do I most effectively get work done?
3. How do I know when I am starting to feel stressed?
4. Do I start sacrificing sleep or the gym, or other activities I enjoy?
5. If academics are getting to be a lot, how are we disconnecting from academics to give ourselves time to rest and recharge?

“These answers will be different for everyone, but it’s important to remember that our overall wellness can be seen as having multiple domains,” they said. “Sometimes our academics or career will be overwhelming and feel unmanageable. But if we’re taking care of ourselves, we’ll often have the fortitude we need to carry through. Knowing how to engage in self-care is integral to staving off burnout.”

Bitter cold and snow can take a toll on the morale of students. But a proactive attitude can keep the winter funk at bay.

“Winter months can definitely be tricky for a lot of folks,” Kale said. “Being able to stay active and find ways to enjoy the outdoors in spite of the cold can help. Keeping up with routines that serve us well, even when we’re feeling low energy, can help us stay out of a slump.”

The Counseling Center offers a daylight lamp within its self-care space, called The Studio. The lamp is a form of light therapy that can be useful for those suffering from seasonal affective disorder. It produces bright, white light that mimics the sun and helps regulate the body’s hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin. 

Overall, wellness does not exist in just one domain, and students struggling to cope can take many paths forward. The Counseling Center is open for walk-in appointments Monday-Friday, or, for 24/7 support, visit the TimelyCare app.

Kale leaves us with this advice: “Everyone is different. Spend time getting to know yourself, and be honest with yourself about what you need.”