4 Tips to Help Avoid Burnout As You Prepare For Your Firefighter Promotional Exam

Preparing for your firefighter promotional exam is no easy task. You must be able to dedicate a lot of time and energy to your firefighter promotional exam prep if you want to pass the exam. Remember to try these tips if you begin to feel burnout from the process. 

What is Burnout?

I am sure you are familiar with the term burnout, especially as a firefighter but let’s take a closer look. Burnout is defined as, “a severe stress condition that leads to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.” Burnout is a serious condition that should not be taken lightly. It should be taken as a sign to slow down and prioritize your physical and mental health before it gets any worse. 

How To Identify Burnout

Burnout is not always easy to identify until it is too late. Here are some common symptoms to be on the lookout for:

  • Exhaustion 

  • Insomnia

  • Irritability

  • Change in Appetite

  • Increased Anxiety and Depression

  • Lack of Focus/Productivity

  • Isolation

How to Stop Burnout in its Tracks

  1. Eat Well

One critical way to stop burnout is by eating healthy even if you have no appetite. Food is critical to the function of our body and mind. Skipping meals and/or eating junk food is only going to make you feel worse in the long run. Do your best to get some healthy foods in your body. If you are not feeling up to cooking, there are so many restaurants that offer healthy foods that will help keep the burnout at bay. 

  1. Take Breaks

When you start feeling any of the symptoms above while you are working on your firefighter promotional exam study material or online study guides, take breaks. Your brain needs time to process all of the new information it is receiving. Retention of said information will reduce significantly if you are studying while burnt out resulting in more frustration and having to redo the study material.

  1. Avoid Isolation

When you realize you are starting to feel burnout, avoid isolating yourself from those around you. Use your study break time to do something for yourself or with your friends and family. Maintaining personal connections will help you feel less isolated and overwhelmed. Your firefighter promotional exam is important, but you are not going to pass it if you don’t take the time you need for yourself throughout the promotion process. 

  1. Make Sleep a Priority

Sleep is so important for so many reasons. When you start to have trouble sleeping it is time to make it a priority. Good quality sleep will not only help reduce the symptoms of burnout, it will also help you do better on your firefighter promotional exam. 

The Takeaway

Everyday life can be overwhelming, add in the additional stress of studying for your firefighter promotional exam and you may begin to feel burnout. Be aware of the symptoms of burnout so you can catch it early on and try to stop it in its tracks before it affects your performance on your firefighter promotional exam.