I worked at Texas Roadhouse for about a year as a server. This was right around the time when restaurants and businesses started opening back up after the pandemic. No one wanted to work not just because their safety was in jeopardy and vaccines weren’t a thing yet, but because stimulus checks were doing the job for people. Lots of businesses failed and the world’s economy was ultimately crashing slowly. I transferred from the Austin location to one of the San Antonio locations to start working near the school I am attending, but little did I know how this job would effect my mental health. The lack of restaurant staff with the combination of balancing 12 hours of classes, being present in my school organizations, feeling financially safe, and trying to maintain my physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders.
What I did
The first task I assigned for myself to feel financially stable was to separate my money into a couple of categories every week. The second task I assigned myself to support my physical, mental, and spiritual health was to find an outlet that allowed me to do something that I enjoyed and could feel in control. The third task I assigned myself to be successful in school and work was to get a calendar. With the crazy work schedule of 20-30 hours a week, I had to split up the hours of each day of the week to have efficient time to study without distractions. The fourth task I assigned myself was a space to have self-compassion so that I could maintain healthy relationships with myself, friends, family, and my social life. Without every task being assigned, I could not have successfully made it last year. Every task was intentional and intertwined to keep a healthy, stable life because I did not allow work and school to overtake my state of mind.
“I figured out that for me to be a well-balanced person, I needed to do something different every week.”
My course of action financially was to split my money into spending money and the money that was needed to pay for my bills/groceries/gas. To sustain a couple of areas of general wellness, I made different protein-based, home-cooked, delicious meals that made me feel proud, full, and healthy. Every week I would continuously look for recipes that made me excited to prepare and execute. Another outlet that made me genuinely happy was working out. I started working out at my apartment gym and would try different types of workouts at various places to give me something to look forward to. I figured out that for me to be a well-balanced person I needed to do something different every week that was in my control because every other aspect of my life felt so out of my control. This helped manage my anxiety.
To have a work-school relationship that was not too overwhelming I made sure that on my calendar I spaced out times appropriately. I especially made time for at least 8 hours of sleep and scheduled time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so that my brain could be fueled to study more efficiently. I went so far as to schedule additional time for assignments that were due and time for a brain break before getting ready for work. Breaking down my time daily allowed me to focus on each day and try my best. It was easy to get overwhelmed, but taking things day by day allowed me to stay present. I gave myself compassion by filling my free time with the people that love and support me, journaling, walking to clear my mind, and listening to podcasts that empower me.
the result
Ultimately, these different tasks gave me opportunities to not just get by day by day, but to be present and reach my fullest potential. Being able to find a game plan to be comfortable financially helped me stay accountable and allow for guilt-free spending with my own earned money. I was able to save $6,000 by the end of the school year. Saving this money not only gave me a sense of security, but a feeling of empowerment. Getting my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness together was reflected upon in other aspects of my life. Fueling my body with correct nutrition while working out gave my brain the power to work hard at work, fulfill my roles as a student and as a member of different organizations, and gain new friendships and experiences. I was able to create a fitness page on Instagram and I now know that I want to do something with health and fitness in my potential career. Maintaining those healthy relationships led to a great leadership role in my sorority as Spirit chair. This role in my sorority is to bring and maintain positivity and support among our members. All of these problems I once had were difficult to manage at first, but once I started compartmentalizing and prioritizing different aspects, I ended up being successful. Balance is key.