Setting Yourself Up for Success

How many times have you stayed up till 2am trying to study for an exam that you didn’t even know about?  How many times have you woken up on a random Tuesday, hitting the snooze button, rolling over and falling right back asleep? And how many times have you watched the clock tick by in the middle of the night because you can’t fall asleep due to the stress of school, work, friendships, etc.? 

In a fast-paced life as a college student, it’s easy to stress about anything and everything. From what to wear on a Saturday gameday to your final accounting exam that makes or breaks your grade. It’s all stressful no matter the scale. 

However, it’s easy to fixate on the things that matter the most to us. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting the perfect grades. You want your dream job–your dream life. But let’s just slow down and focus on the right now. 

What can you do right now to relieve your stress? Sometimes it is completing all those assignments, or going on a hot girl walk, or even bed rotting. 

But if you want the life you dream of and check off those goals you set, it’s time to get to work in a non-stressful way. Meaning–getting yourself organized and setting yourself up for success.

Succeeding isn’t about the amount of calories you burn, the healthiest dinner, or even the perfect self-care routine. It’s not about how professional your cover letter sounds, how pretty your portfolio looks, or even the number of connections you’ve made on LinkedIn. 

Sometimes it’s the little things, like being prepared for the next day.

So, if you come home from a crappy day at work or a failed test, make a plan for the next day. Write a checklist of things you need to get done right away–and follow through. At the end of the day, have a routine.  

For example, if you know you have a busy day the following morning, make your lunch, pack your bag, and charge your computer that night, so you can wake up, get ready, and head out the door the next day. Or, if you have trouble waking up in the morning to go to the gym, pick out your workout set the night before and set it out.  

 You don’t have to feel like you’ve solved world hunger. Sometimes that small step you take to kick-start your day is all you need to have a good, productive day without feeling stressed about getting everything done.

So the next time you’re freaking out about a pop quiz grade or fighting the urge to hit snooze, remember that routine–remember the small steps that can make or break your success.