{"id":6959,"date":"2025-11-20T15:29:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T04:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/?p=6959"},"modified":"2025-11-20T15:31:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T05:01:28","slug":"end-of-semester-overwhelm-what-i-do-when-im-drowning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/2025\/11\/20\/end-of-semester-overwhelm-what-i-do-when-im-drowning\/","title":{"rendered":"End-of-Semester Overwhelm? What I Do When I\u2019m Drowning"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Written by Laura, a Public Health student on placement with BetterU, this piece shares her practical system to tackle study overwhelm and stay on track. Also consider checking out her last article<\/a> on Read & Write.<\/p>\n

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I don’t know about you, but from mid to late semester – when everything lands at once: assessments due, unfinished modules, personal stuff getting in the way, admin piling up – I feel overwhelmed. I start to procrastinate more, healthy habits fade away, my focus and energy levels drop, I fall behind and start drowning… Classic spiral.<\/p>\n

What I used to do? Feel like a failure, continue to shovel down in my spiral and… add more (more tasks, bigger to-do list, new resources\/apps\/habits). It sounds ridiculous to add more to a workload I’m already struggling to manage… But I thought that if I’m not doing well, it must be because I’m not doing enough. I found out that I’m not the only one (yay!). This is not an uncommon pattern – lots of us do it. Under stress, our brains default to adding fixes, and even well-being advice<\/a> (meditate, exercise, journal, sleep etc.) can pile on more ‘to-dos’ and become unhelpful or not adapted to our needs.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this is a very recurrent cycle in my personal life too. Reflecting back, it seems that I am either spiralling or trying to prevent it – and inevitably end up there again. Earlier this year, I hit my first real burnout. It was tough but it forced me to create a strategy that finally works.<\/p>\n

Now when I notice I’m slipping (like last week, and the week before), I do the opposite of my old habits: I stop, subtract the non-essentials, then prioritise and plan what matters. A short, realistic reset that gets me moving again – instead of telling myself I can do everything.<\/p>\n

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1. Reset<\/b><\/h2>\n

\u2705 I STOP. I close all tabs, turn off notifications, ignore emails, clear the desk.<\/p>\n

\u2705 Step outside, have a coffee, breathe (Meditation and journaling are goals, but I’m not there yet).<\/p>\n

Note:<\/em><\/strong> Before the next step, I sometimes need an hour or more likely a day if I hadn\u2019t already bailed out a day prior. It might sound counterproductive, but I\u2019ve learned the hard way that I\u2019m better off using some time to rest, reset, and organise myself smartly rather than continue to dig slowly.<\/em><\/p>\n

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2. Prioritise & Plan (capture essentials only)<\/h2>\n

In my calendar\/system*<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u2705 Delete\/ cancel\/ postpone anything not urgent or important.<\/p>\n

\u2705 Then I check:<\/p>\n

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  1. Lectures\/ workshops\/ appointments\/ meetings are in.<\/li>\n
  2. All assessments (or anything with a deadline) are in, with correct times\/dates.<\/li>\n
  3. Verify and add all key personal commitments\/ tasks such as medical appointments, family dinners, time with kids, groceries\/meal prep, travel time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    *<\/em><\/strong> If you don\u2019t use a system, a simple calendar, template or note works too. I personally use a comprehensive Notion system (tasks + calendar in one place) because I need clarity and visuals. It\u2019s derived from Tiago Forte\u2019s concept of a \u201csecond brain\u201d (see his <\/em>website<\/em><\/a> or <\/em>YT channel<\/em><\/a>). If you\u2019d like a tour and template, let me know in the comments or email us.<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    3. Break Tasks into Small Pieces<\/h2>\n

    \u2705 For tasks that (absolutely) require preparation, I add a \u2018prep task\u2019 (e.g., prep honours interview, prep module 10).<\/p>\n

    \u2705 For assessments, I read instructions\/ criteria, decide how many study blocks I\u2019ll likely need, then create a few smaller tasks.<\/p>\n

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    4. Allocate\/ Time -Block<\/h2>\n

    \u2705 Then I place tasks ideally ~1 or 2 weeks before the due date (as fits each task\/ time available).<\/p>\n

    \u2705 If it\u2019s too much (it usually is): I move what can move, request extensions for assessments, or email lecturers for time\/ help (they\u2019re often happy to provide extra support). I prioritise modules\/ lectures that feed into the assessment – and the same goes for all my personal commitments.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    5. Schedule ‘Well-being Anchors’<\/h2>\n

    These are ‘rules’ or tasks that support my well-being (self-care, sleep and routine habits):<\/p>\n

    \u2705 I block one time per week for:<\/p>\n