MY FUTURE Careers Newsletter

Study Tips

Burnout: tips to prevent and manage it 

Are you feeling tired, demotivated, or just plain down in the dumps? Chances are you might be suffering from burnout. Emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion are all side effects of this too common condition. It might creep up on you, but when you’re struggling with burnout, it can be all-encompassing. Don’t worry though – you’re not alone, and there are things you can do to prevent and manage it.

 

When you feel like you can’t go on

Anyone can experience burnout – whether it’s school, work, or personal factors influencing you, your mental load may feel increasingly difficult to handle when the stress is piling on.

 

Difficulty finding a balance between school, study, work, extracurriculars, and maintaining social connections can explain why you’re feeling at your limit. We’ve all been there, but it’s important that you identify how you’re feeling and try to turn things around. If you’re reading this article, you’ve already taken the first step – well done!

 

Find your mojo again

If you feel like you’re reaching the end of your tether, there are lots of things you can do to help your wellbeing. It’s time to bounce back and feel like yourself again – and we’re here to help.

 

7 tips to reduce or prevent burnout

Tackle burnout head-on with these 7 tips, and you could find yourself feeling better in no time. 

 

Remember to take breaks

Whether you’re actively learning and revising, or your life is just busy, taking breaks throughout the day or before bedtime can help you to feel more in control. Incorporate rest periods into your program to give you back some energy and keep your motivation up.

 

Get some balance back

It’s hard to strike the right balance, especially when it feels like everything is piling up. First, think about what stresses you out. Then, figure out ways you can remove them or reduce their impact. Setting boundaries (and sticking to them) or learning to say “no” are often effective methods to start with.

 

Manage your time

Making a plan or schedule can help you to visualise what time you have available and help you to see where you need to make changes.

 

Need help making a plan? This self-care plan from Black Dog Institute contains a personal planning template which you can use to identify your wellbeing needs. Smart Girl also has a free daily planner that you can use for study or if you just want to make a to-do list. 

 

Decide what your priorities and go from there. Getting organised could help you remember important commitments and spend less time on things that don’t make you happy or add value to your life.

 

Get some stress relief

What makes you feel good? Plan to do whatever it is in your down time. Make the effort even if you’re feeling low or too tired, because once you’ve done it, the chances are you’ll feel a hundred times better.

 

Here are some stress relief ideas to get you started:

  • Walking
  • Swimming
  • Hot bath or shower
  • Yoga or meditation
  • Reading
  • Watching a movie
  • Cooking
  • Massage
  • Hanging out with friends

Give your body what it needs

You wouldn’t expect a car to run on empty or if you filled it up with water. So don’t expect your body perform at its best if you don’t look after it.

 

You know what comes next: make sure you get enough sleep, stay hydrated, make good food choices (but treat yourself sometimes too), and exercise. Doing all of these things could help you to focus better on what you need to get done.

 

Get creative

Engaging the creative side of your brain can be a great distraction, but it can also help to boost your mood. You could try some creative writing, make some art, or listen to music.

 

If your regular de-stressing options aren’t an option right now (e.g. you can’t get to the gym or catch up with your bestie in person) try alternatives that might work for you instead.

 

You could sign up for online workouts, schedule a video call with your friends each evening after you’ve finished up with study, work, and chores, or just spend some time with your family.

 

Ask for help

If you’re in a really bad headspace or struggling physically and you’re not managing to help yourself, then it’s time to reach out.

 

There are lots of people who’ll be there for you. Friends, family, teachers, your GP, online support services – all you have to do is let them know that you need a bit of extra help or support.

 

It’s OK to not feel OK

Whatever you do, don’t brush your feelings under the carpet or keep struggling on. Taking action when you recognise the signs could help you to get back on track and feel like your old self again sooner.

 

You can find more wellbeing resources on our website here.

How to apply to university in 7 steps 

Thinking about going to university once you’ve finished high school? The process can seem overwhelming, but if you know how to apply then you might find yourself feeling better about the way forward. If you’d like to join over one million Australians currently studying at uni, there are a few steps to follow; but we’re here to walk you through them one by one in this article.

 

Step 1 – Decide to go to university

The first thing you need to do is decide that you actually want to go to university, and that it’s the right decision for you. We know that lots of parents want their children to go to university, and if your parents want you to go then it can feel like there’s lots of pressure to apply.

Uni could be right for you if:

  • You want to study a topic in depth
  • You want a job that needs a degree (like teaching, nursing, engineering)
  • You’re doing well at school and want to better yourself academically
  • You’re doing well but you’re not sure which career path is right for you

University takes an adult approach to education, so not only will you be studying in a flexible learning environment, you’ll also be building your professional networks and gaining experience. 

 

Plenty of people who go to uni are still unsure about what they want to do after graduation, and it’s super common for uni students to change subjects mid degree. 

If you need some inspo, take a look at the most popular uni courses to see if anything sparks your interest.

 

If you’re still ‘on the fence’ about going to uni, it’s a good idea to apply anyway. Not applying will guarantee that you don’t get in, which means you’ll have less options once school is over. If you’ve decided that applying is right for you, then move on to the next step. If not, you can check out why an apprenticeship might be right for you. 

 

Step 2 – Choose what you want to study 

Before you start looking at shiny university brochures and going to open days, take a minute to think about the kind of things you want to study. You can approach this a couple of different ways, depending on how certain you are about your future career;

If you’ve chosen a preferred career pathway:

  • Identify the qualification requirements for that pathway – do you need a degree? If so, which degree do you need?
  • You may be able to choose from more than one degree, and if this is the case then decide which ones you prefer. For example, if you want to work in robotics, you could study mechatronics engineering, or mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering – work out which is right for you.

If you haven’t chosen a future career:

  • Focus on things you enjoy and find interesting, rather than pathways you aren’t interested in. This means if you don’t like maths and spreadsheets, don’t pick accounting just because you think you’ll earn lots. 
  • Look for more general degrees which give you a wide range of possible career options and allow you to specialise during your degree. For example, many business degrees have a general first year, then let you pick specific courses further on.
  • Avoid super specific degrees unless you also like the career they lead to. For example, dentistry almost always leads to becoming a dentist.

Once you’ve chosen what you want to study, write it down, and be clear about it before you start looking for somewhere to study it.

 

Course Seeker is a great one-stop-shop for looking at and comparing courses.

 

Step 3 – Find somewhere to study

Where you go to study isn’t as important as what you study. Once you’ve graduated, most employers won’t really care where your degree was from, as long as you can do the work – all degree qualifications at the same level are considered equal within the Australian Qualifications Framework.

 

There are some important things to consider when you’re looking for a place to study:

  • Do they offer the course you want to study? If not, cross them out.
  • Where will you live if you study there? Can you stay at home for the first year or so, or are you keen to move out straight away? Will you be able to afford to live on campus? If you’re thinking about living out of home, take a look at our accommodation database here.
  • What opportunities do they offer for building your network? Your network will be one of the most valuable things you gain from university, and the internships and connections you make there will give you access to better employment or business opportunities once you leave.

If you’re in the lucky position of having a few good options to choose from, see if you can connect with current students at each university and get their feedback – are they happy with their course, are they getting the support they need, and what advice would they give you?

 

Step 4 – Prepare for application

Once you know what you want to study, and where you want to study it, you need to find out how you can apply.

 

You’ll need to first find out about any important cut-off dates, so you don’t miss out. Add these into your calendar – it could also be a good idea to tell your parents and other key people about them as well.

 

Next, find out what documents and details you need to apply. You’ll probably need your USI, and you may need other student numbers, depending on your state. Some courses may require you to complete additional processes, for example if you want to study medicine you may need to sit the UCAT, which you need to do earlier in the year. Find out what you need to do early, so you can prepare in advance and don’t end up missing out by accident.

 

The last step is to make sure you meet the ATAR or other entry requirements. ATARs are much less important than they used to be, and only a fraction of Year 12s rely on their ATAR as the only thing they use to get into uni. Regardless, you need to know what ATAR you may need, and if there are any other pathways you can use, find out what you need to do for them as well.

 

Step 5 – Apply and select your preferences

The application process varies depending on which university you’ve picked. Remember, it may not be enough to simply apply through the tertiary admissions centre in your state, so check directly with the university to make sure you have met all the entry requirements before you start your application.

 

When you apply, you’ll also be asked to select your course preferences. The key thing to remember here is to fill out every preference, even if you don’t think you need to.

 

You can always reject an offer, but if you only list one course, then you’re limiting your options before you start. Even if you are 110% certain that there is only one course you want to pick, find a few similar courses and list them just in case. 

 

We recommend you list your number one course choice first, then your second favourite. For the rest of the list, put some other courses you think you’d be happy with, and add a few ‘easy’ lower ATAR/requirement options at the end, which will give you a couple of backups.

 

Watch this short video for tips on choosing your preferences.

 

Step 6 – Wait

After you’ve submitted your application, you need to wait for an offer.

 

Use this time to get some space from your choices, focus on your final exams and enjoy the last few weeks and months of school. If you decide you want to change your preferences during this time then you’ll be able to do so, but be mindful of the cut off dates and don’t let it dominate your thinking.

 

Step 7 – Accept an offer and enrol

All Year 12 students who are eligible for an ATAR will get it just before Christmas, and if you’ve been successful, you’ll receive an offer after that.

 

You’ll only receive one offer for each state for each round (so if you’ve applied in NSW and Queensland, you can receive an offer for both states), and you’ll get an offer for the highest preference you are eligible for. This means that if your top-rated preference requires an ATAR of 70, and you got 62, you may not get your first preference, but if your second preference requires an ATAR of 60 then you will receive an offer for that course.

 

If you want to take the offer, then follow the process to accept it and enrol. If you don’t want to accept it, you can always wait for a later offer round to see if you get a higher preference, which does occasionally happen.

 

What are my other options?

University straight out of school is not your only option. Lots of students defer for 6 or 12 months and work, gain another skill, or just have some time off. Other students start with a VET qualification, apprenticeship, or traineeship, and from there they may work for a while and eventually go to university as a mature student.

 

Whatever you decide to do, take some time to reflect on your choices, and don’t rush into a decision.

 

You can read more about university courses and pathways on our website here.