Depleted? Dispirited? An MBA Survival Guide

Catch some Zs:

Sleep is so important. Studies show that getting less than six hours of sleep a night is one of the biggest predictors of burnout. Sleep is important for creating connections in your brain and for the way you learn. So during midterms and finals you’re probably better off getting some sleep than pulling an all-nighter

Get moving:

Exercise improves the way you feel, and it’s a powerful source of renewal and reducing stress. So it’s really important to have a routine for it and not to give it up when you enter a challenging program or job. As lives get more complex, that often gets put on the back burner.

Love what you do:

Our study found that meaningful work had the single biggest impact on employee engagement. Employees are three times more likely to stay with an organization if they have fulfilling work.

On campus, that could mean taking ownership of a project or assuming a role where you find meaning; it could be through a club or a volunteer activity. When you’re looking at jobs, make sure it’s a role that will give you a sense of meaning and purpose and a positive identity.

Focus on the people:

You really want to invest in relationships that energize you. De-energizing relationships have four times the impact on you as energizing ones. The worst thing you could do is accept a job with a horrible boss and peers because it sucks the life out of you. It really takes people off track and robs them of their potential. So if you can get into an organization that promotes your well-being, you can’t put a price tag on that – it’s going to pay out.

Be polite:

Civility pays. We’ve done studies, and the people who are perceived as more civil tend to perform better and they are more often recognized as leaders. Part of this is because people want to talk to them and want to share information with them. Some people think that by being nice you might be seen as soft and stepped on in your career, but people want to work with those types of people. Firms that embrace and reward civility are good places to spend your days and to build your career.

DON’T MISS: Insider Tips From An Expert MBA Recruiter or Train Your Mind, Improve Your Game: Meditation for the 21st-Century Leader

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.