Are you a perfectionist who always looks for revisions before sending your research paper to a publisher and feel guilty about staying behind in your research? Or are you surrounded by people who boast about their productivity and how much work they have done? The constant pull to do something more is often known as academic guilt.

Being in the field of research comes with a plethora of responsibilities. From reading the updated research papers to publishing your research, you tend to face short on time, however hard you work.
But working continuously can give you burnout and have a toll on your mental health. So it’s always necessary to have a healthy work-life balance and take small breaks. But what about the academic guilt you feel when you spend time on something apart from your academics? Is there a way to overcome it? Let’s find out how we can beat academic guilt.

What Is Academic Guilt?

The constant fear of not accomplishing something and being behind the crew by taking adequate breaks causes academic guilt. According to University World News,  academic guilt is a sense of not being able to cope with conflicting demands on one’s time and is often accompanied by negative self-judgment.

Contrary to the generic belief, academic guilt is not always the villain. It can make you finish the work and keep your to-do list neat-o’ clean, helping you achieve most of your set targets.

But if you are someone who is set on working all around the clock but feels guilty about taking week-offs, think again! You are burning yourself in the wrong direction.

Why do you Face Academic Guilt?

  • Setting unrealistic expectations.
  • Perfectionism.
  • Failing to set healthy boundaries.
  • Comparison with your peers.
  • Desire to overacheive.

How to Overcome Academic Guilt?

  • Take small breaks. It improves your productivity.
  • Set deadlines and reward yourself after achieving them.
  • Practice a new hobby to trigger the release of dopamine. 
  • Journal your feelings to track your mood.
  • Be aware of burnout and take regular breaks.
  • Spend time with your family and friends to kill the negative feelings.

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