--- title: What Is Academic Burnout and How Can You Avoid It? description: With the rapid changes in our lives due to the COVID-19 crisis, we are suddenly exposed to new kinds of stress — how can we cope with the situation and avoid burnout? --- [![header_logo_opusvi2-01](https://opusvi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/header_logo_opusvi2-01.webp?width=200&height=53&name=header_logo_opusvi2-01.webp) ](https://opusvi.com/?hsLang=en) [![OpusVi_Logo_4C_Horizontal_Tagline_Reversed-2](https://opusvi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/OpusVi_Logo_4C_Horizontal_Tagline_Reversed-2.png?width=883&height=223&name=OpusVi_Logo_4C_Horizontal_Tagline_Reversed-2.png) ](https://opusvi.com/?hsLang=en) What Sets Us Apart - [ A New Approach ](https://opusvi.com/a-new-approach?hsLang=en) - [ Relevant and Applicable Curriculum ](https://opusvi.com/relevant-and-applicable-curriculum?hsLang=en) - [ Impact Dashboard ](https://opusvi.com/impact-dashboard?hsLang=en) - [ Our Programs ](https://opusvi.com/our-programs?hsLang=en) Transformative workforce development solutions designed for the healthcare industry. [Click here to learn More ](https://opusvi.com/a-new-approach?hsLang=en) By collaborating with industry leaders actively engaged in the field, we ensure learners receive the most current and relevant knowledge and skills available in the industry. [Click here to learn More ](https://opusvi.com/relevant-and-applicable-curriculum?hsLang=en) Unprecedented access to rich data insights showcasing the impact and ROI of OpusVi’s healthcare workforce development solutions. [Click here to learn More ](https://opusvi.com/impact-dashboard?hsLang=en) [ Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program ](https://opusvi.com/our-programs/certified-nursing-assistant?hsLang=en) [ Nurse Residency ](https://opusvi.com/our-programs/nurse-residency-preceptorship-and-mentorship-program?hsLang=en) [ Nurse Preceptor Training ](https://opusvi.com/our-programs/nurse-preceptorship-training-program?hsLang=en) [ Clinical Nurse Educator Training ](https://opusvi.com/our-programs/clinical-nurse-educator-training-program?hsLang=en) [Learn More](https://opusvi.com/our-programs/clinical-nurse-educator-training-program?hsLang=en) [ See All ](https://opusvi.com/our-programs?hsLang=en) Who We Support - [ Nursing ](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/nursing?hsLang=en) - [ Healthcare ](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/healthcare?hsLang=en) - [ Senior Living ](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/senior-living?hsLang=en) Empowering Your Nursing Workforce With OpusVi [Click here to learn More ](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/nursing?hsLang=en) Solutions Built For Healthcare, By Healthcare [Click here to learn More ](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/healthcare?hsLang=en) Invest in Your Senior Living Workforce [Click here to learn More ](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/senior-living?hsLang=en) Resource Hub - [ Case Studies ](https://opusvi.com/case-studies?hsLang=en) - [ Blog ](https://opusvi.com/blog?hsLang=en) - [ News ](https://opusvi.com/news?hsLang=en) [ CommonSpirit Health Achieves 92% Retention with Nurse Residency ](https://opusvi.com/case-studies/commonspirit/nurseresidency?hsLang=en) [ AzHHA Statewide Nurse Residency ](https://opusvi.com/case-studies/azhha/statewide-transition-to-practice-nurse-residency?hsLang=en) [ MercyOne's MA vacancies reduced by 50% ](https://opusvi.com/case-studies/mercyone/medicalassisting?hsLang=en) [ See All ](https://opusvi.com/case-studies?hsLang=en) [ 5 Nurse-Focused Innovations Shaping the Healthcare Workforce ](https://opusvi.com/5-nurse-focused-innovations-shaping-the-healthcare-workforce?hsLang=en) [ Honoring Preceptors: OpusVi Partners with DAISY Awards ](https://opusvi.com/news/honoring-preceptors-daisy-award?hsLang=en) [ Beyond Recruitment: 5 Reasons Why Nurse Residencies are Vital to Retention Strategies ](https://opusvi.com/news/5-reasons-why-nurse-residency-programs-key-retention?hsLang=en) [ See All ](https://opusvi.com/blog?hsLang=en) [ OpusVi™ Launches Scalable Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training Program with Providence to Address Heightened Need for Healthcare Support Workers Amid Staffing Crisis ](https://opusvi.com/news/opusvi-launches-scalable-cna-training-program-with-providence?hsLang=en) [ 92% Aggregate New Nurse Retention, OpusVi and CommonSpirit Announce Impact of Nurse Residency ](https://opusvi.com/news/opusvi-and-commonspirit-health-achieve-92-new-nurse-retention-with-system-wide-nurse-residency-preceptor-training?hsLang=en) [ OpusVi and Laerdal Announce Groundbreaking Nurse Residency with Simulation Training ](https://opusvi.com/news/opusvi-laerdal-simulation-training-announcement?hsLang=en) [ See All ](https://opusvi.com/news?hsLang=en) [ About OpusVi ](https://opusvi.com/about-us?hsLang=en) - [ Contact Us ](https://opusvi.com/contact-us?hsLang=en) [![header_logo_opusvi2-01](https://opusvi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/header_logo_opusvi2-01.webp?width=200&height=53&name=header_logo_opusvi2-01.webp) ](https://opusvi.com/?hsLang=en) - What Sets Us Apart - [A New Approach](https://opusvi.com/a-new-approach) - [Relevant and Applicable Curriculum](https://opusvi.com/relevant-and-applicable-curriculum) - [Impact Dashboard](https://opusvi.com/impact-dashboard) - [Our Programs](https://opusvi.com/our-programs) - Who We Serve - [Nursing](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/nursing) - [Healthcare](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/healthcare) - [Senior Living](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/senior-living) - Resources - [Case Studies](https://opusvi.com/case-studies) - [Blog ](https://opusvi.com/blog) - [News](https://opusvi.com/news) - [Careers](https://opusvi.com/careers) - [About Us ](https://opusvi.com/about-us) - [Contact Us ](https://opusvi.com/contact-us) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## What Is Academic Burnout and How Can You Avoid It? With the rapid changes in our lives due to the COVID-19 crisis, we are suddenly exposed to new kinds of stress — how can we cope with the situation and avoid burnout? ![1388x900_3_1_510_480_80_c1](https://opusvi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1388x900_3_1_510_480_80_c1.jpg?width=510&height=480&name=1388x900_3_1_510_480_80_c1.jpg) The world has gone through some significant changes in the past few months and, undoubtedly, so have you. The home has now become the office, the classroom, the restaurant or cafeteria, and — to some — the prison. The lines between our personal and professional lives have become blurred. The [average reported stress level](https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/report) for U.S. adults related to the coronavirus pandemic is 5.9 out of 10. When asked to rate their stress level in general, the average reported stress for U.S. adults is 5.4. This is significantly higher than the average stress level reported in the 2019 Annual Stress in America survey, which was 4.9, and marks the first significant increase in average reported stress since the survey began in 2007. Exploring these types of stress, finding coping mechanisms, and learning how to avoid burnout need to become part of our daily routine in order to maintain mental and physical wellbeing. ### Good versus bad stress In your lifetime, various forms of stress will present itself. Some will be good, like when having to deliver a presentation to your peers that you're prepared for. Good stress is important in our lives, it keeps us feeling challenged. Once it’s over it fills you with an enormous sense of accomplishment. Examples of this are short-term pressure along with mild anxiety before completing a task. Bad stress, on the other hand, is something that needs to be coped with and adequately managed in order to move forward. An example of this is being housebound while still working full-time and attempting to keep a sense of normalcy among your family (*cough, cough* — COVID). If we don’t properly cope with this bad stress, it can pile up and lead us to feel completely burnt out. ### Managing stress in times of COVID-19 to avoid burnout Currently, our world is undergoing a unique transformation. There is no clear separation between home, work, education, family, and extracurricular activities, which can become extremely stressful. For example, if you are currently undertaking an online academic program, you’ve most likely turned a room in your home into an office, and although you try your best to carve out time to dedicate to your studies, your spouse/child/parent/pet tends to interrupt. If not managed properly, this type of stress will manifest itself and cause you to burn out. As a working mom of a three-year-old, I deal with this stress each day, and I’ve found the following tips make a huge difference: - **Remember you are only one person**. Many parents are currently struggling with wearing multiple hats during the COVID-19 crisis. Working and learning from home with children (no matter their age) is difficult. Sticking to a schedule can be difficult (especially with young children) and it’s important to remember that you can’t do everything all the time. Take a breath and take each hour as it comes. - **If your day doesn’t go according to plan, brush it off**. Tomorrow is a new day and another chance to succeed. This is something I’ve had to tell myself over and over. Juggling working full-time with a three-year-old is frustrating, but whenever I feel like I didn’t get enough work done, or I didn’t spend enough time with my daughter, or could have spent a few minutes learning a new concept or skill, I tell myself, “There’s always tomorrow.” - **Focus on the good**. Right now, the days seem to melt into one another and it’s becoming more difficult to distinguish the little milestones (good or bad). One bad work email or one insane meltdown from your child can completely distort your day. Instead, cope with the bad and keep track of the good. At the end of your day, take a moment and go over all the good and you’ll see how positive the day really was. While focusing on the good and using these strategies, you’ll hopefully be able to cope with the current situation a little better. Remember that we’re in this together! [![OpusVi_Logo_4C_Horizontal_Tagline_Reversed-2](https://opusvi.com/hs-fs/hubfs/OpusVi_Logo_4C_Horizontal_Tagline_Reversed-2.png?width=883&height=223&name=OpusVi_Logo_4C_Horizontal_Tagline_Reversed-2.png "OpusVi_Logo_4C_Horizontal_Tagline_Reversed-2")](https://opusvi.com/?hsLang=en) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/opusvi/) - [**](https://www.facebook.com/opusvihwd) - [**](https://www.instagram.com/opus_vi/) - [**](https://twitter.com/Opus_Vi) #### What Sets Us Apart - [A New Approach](https://opusvi.com/a-new-approach) - [Relevant and Applicable Curriculum](https://opusvi.com/relevant-and-applicable-curriculum) - [Impact Dashboard](https://opusvi.com/impact-dashboard) - [Our Programs](https://opusvi.com/our-programs) #### Who We Serve - [Nursing](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/nursing) - [Healthcare](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/healthcare) - [Senior Living](https://opusvi.com/who-we-serve/senior-living) #### Resource Hub - [Case Studies](https://opusvi.com/case-studies) - [Blog](https://opusvi.com/blog) - [News](https://opusvi.com/news) - [About Us](https://opusvi.com/about-us) - [Course Policy](https://opusvi.com/online-certificate-course-enrollment-agreement) - [Cookie Policy](https://opusvi.com/cookie-policy) - [Privacy Policy](https://opusvi.com/privacy) - [Website Terms and Conditions](https://opusvi.com/terms-and-conditions) © 2024 OpusVi. All Rights Reserved.