October Overwhelm: Navigating Burnout as the Season Changes
Meet Amber Valdez: Student Therapist & Wellness Writer
Hi, I’m Amber—a student therapist at Solum Life Therapy and a Master of Social Work candidate. I’m deeply grateful for the mentors guiding my journey, and honored to contribute as the lead writer for the Solum Life Therapy wellness blog.
This post feels personal. As a student, I understand the weight of this season firsthand. Sharing that feels important—because being relational, relatable, and real is central to how we practice here.
October Overwhelm: Navigating Burnout as the Season Changes
October is a potent month - mid-semester for students, season’s end for many workers, packed schedules for parents. And to top it all off, holiday thoughts begin to loom for most of us. It’s a time when the days shorten and stress can quietly accumulate.
Why October Hits Hard
October carries a quiet intensity. The days shorten, the light shifts, and for many, the pressure builds. College students are deep into midterms, juggling academic demands with social expectations, part-time jobs, and the weight of future plans. Seasonal workers often face long hours, physical strain, and the emotional toll of unpredictable schedules and finances. Even those who love fall can feel stretched thin.
This month often marks a turning point -where the initial energy of a new semester or season gives way to fatigue. The pace quickens, but the body starts to slow. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or just “off,” you’re not alone. October has a way of surfacing stress that’s been quietly accumulating.
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken - it means your system is asking for care. And in a culture that often rewards pushing through, listening to that call is a radical act of self-respect.
Understanding Burnout
Burnout isn’t always loud. It can show up in subtle ways: forgetting assignments, snapping at coworkers, skipping meals, or feeling numb during activities you usually enjoy. For college students, it might look like procrastination, isolation, or a creeping sense of failure. For seasonal workers, it might feel like physical exhaustion, emotional detachment, or a loss of motivation.
Common signs include:
Persistent fatigue, even after rest
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Feeling irritable, anxious, or emotionally flat
Disconnection from peers, purpose, or joy
Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach issues, or sleep disruption
In October, these symptoms can be amplified by environmental changes - less sunlight, colder mornings, and the pressure to “keep up” as the year winds down. Burnout often masquerades as laziness or weakness, but it’s actually a signal. Your body and mind are trying to protect you.
Recognizing these signs is the first step in caring for yourself. You don’t have to wait until things fall apart to start managing your stress. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is name what’s happening and give yourself permission to slow down. This can definitely feel counterintuitive. Our modern world emphasizes constant progress, performance, and growth - leaving little room for rest and recalibration. It can naturally feel super challenging to slow down when you think things are piling up. Slowing down is a strategic choice - one that helps us convert scattered effort into deliberate, quality action that aligns with our bigger goals. So, how do we slow down?
Strategies for Reconnection
When stress builds, we often feel disconnected from ourselves, our bodies, our relationships, and the things we enjoy. October invites us to return. Not through grand gestures, but through small, intentional acts of care. Here are a few ways to reconnect, even in the busiest season:
Micro-Grounding Practices
These are quick resets you can weave into your day:
Natural touchpoints: Step outside between classes or shifts. Notice the texture of a leaf, the feeling of wind, the scent of dry earth. Notice the colors, the crunch, the impermanence. Let the changing trees mirror your own transitions.
Dusk pauses: Step outside at sunset. The fading light can help remind you that slowing down is natural.
Breath rituals: Try a 4-count inhale, 6-count exhale at transition points – like before walking into class, clocking in, or heading home.
Sensory anchors: Carry a smooth stone. Let it remind you: you’re allowed to pause.
Body-Based Resets
Burnout lives in the body. These practices could help you gently reclaim it:
Stretch breaks: Reach up, roll your shoulders, shake out your hands. Especially helpful for desk-bound students or physically taxed workers.
Warm nourishment: Sip something warm. Eat something grounding. Root vegetables, nutrient-dense soups, and sleepytime tea are some of my personal favorites. Hydration and warmth are underrated forms of emotional care.
Moments to move: A walk around the block, dancing in your kitchen, a few squats between tasks — whatever feels doable.
Relational Anchors
Burnout isolates. Connection heals.
Find someone you trust and agree to check in regularly —no fixing, just naming what’s real.
Group texts or memes: Humor and shared struggle can be powerful medicine.
Permission to name it: Saying “I’m overwhelmed” out loud can shift the weight. You don’t need a solution to deserve support.
Boundaries in High-Demand Roles
Burnout can thrive where boundaries are thin. In October, the pressure to perform academically, physically, and emotionally can make it feel impossible to say no. Think of boundaries as important bridges back to yourself instead of barriers.
Whether you’re a student navigating deadlines or a seasonal worker managing long shifts, here are a few ways to reclaim space:
Scripts for Saying No (or “Not Right Now”)
“I’d love to help, but I’m at capacity this week.”
“Can we revisit this after ___?”
“I need to take care of my body today - can we reschedule?”
These phrases don’t require an apology. They honor your limits and model self-respect.
Reframing Productivity
Rest isn’t a reward—it’s a requirement.
Pausing isn’t failure—it’s preparation.
You are allowed to be a human, not a machine.
In high-stress lifestyles, even small acts of agency matter. Choose your break spot. Pick your playlist. Decide when to check your messages. These micro-boundaries help restore a sense of control.
When to Seek Support
Burnout doesn’t always mean crisis - but it can tip into one if ignored. If you’re noticing signs like persistent sadness, panic attacks, thoughts of self-harm, or complete emotional shutdown, it’s time to reach out. You deserve support, even if others seem to be “handling it better.” Your experience is valid. Your well-being matters.
Support Options to Explore
Campus resources: Counseling centers, peer support groups, academic accommodations
Community clinics: Sliding-scale therapy, walk-in mental health services
Peer support: Trusted friends, mentors or group chats
A Closing Invitation
October asks a lot of us. It’s a month of transition, built-up tension, and quiet reckoning. But it’s also a season of return - an invitation to come back to yourself, to your breath, to the parts of life that sustain you.
If you’re feeling stretched thin, know this: you are not alone. Your stress is not a personal failure. It’s a signal that you’ve been carrying too much, for too long, without enough care.
So this week, try one small thing:
Step outside and spend a few moments just observing.
Text a friend and name what’s real.
Stretch and breathe.
Let it be enough.
