Dear Women Everywhere,
I am absolutely exhausted. The stress has become seemingly overwhelming. Moving back into my childhood bedroom and figuring out my class/work/free time balance has become impossible.
I find myself working at all hours of the day, and if I’m not working, I feel guilty. I’m sure I am not the only one.
Instead of sitting to watch Tiger King with my mom and sister, I was focused on doing work that probably could have waited until the next day. Yet, tomorrow always brings with it more work, and who I am to let the work pile up if I’m home for weeks at a time.
I’ve never dealt with this feeling before. I have always been able to manage a schedule where I could fit in my work along with my free time. In fact, I had perfected my schedule at the beginning of the semester. I had figured out what worked for me and I recognized how to care for myself.
Once a week, I would dedicate an entire night to caring for myself and what I needed. This night included a serious routine of face masks, skincare, comfort food and doing whatever I needed to wash off any stress or negativity for the week.
This routine recharged me. Taking the time out of my week to truly care for myself and to listen to what I needed instead of focusing on what everyone else needed from me gave me the ability to love myself on a deeper level.
In this time of change, I find myself worried more about what others need from me. Work needs me to continue to be the best employee that I can be. In the world of Public Relations, there’s absolutely no time for mediocracy. My family needs me to be a good daughter and sister, now that I’m home. I need to make time for them and to water that relationship. I need to do my part around the house and help them to maintain and take care of it. My professors need me to be a good student. They expect that all of my work will continue to get done, that I will continue to attend classes and that I will continue to keep up with my grades.
It is exhausting. I am exhausted. What do I need of myself? What do I expect of myself?
In the weeks that I’ve been home, I haven’t dedicated time to listen to what I need. I haven’t found my routine.
I’m not giving up, though.
As women, we always force ourselves to fill the role that’s been given to us, not the role that we chose to play for ourselves. As we work from home and we are being expected to fill everyone else’s roles, it is imperative that we set aside work time and playtime.
The phrase “work hard, play hard” is so imperative to remember during these times. Whether your “play” is a night of self-care or an hour every day to work on a hobby, you need to take the time to do it.
As for myself, I will be finding my routine. I will be finding how I can take care of myself and how I can set aside playtime. I will finally figure out which room in the house makes for the best home office, simply because my bedroom does not have great lighting for Zoom sessions.
You need to dedicate as much effort to playtime as you do work time, or else you will burn yourself out. You will lose the light that you have sparked within yourself.
My challenge for you is to take time to listen to what you need and to do what you need to for yourself. Even if your work is not fully completed. I promise that if you take the time to do what you need, your work will turn out even better in the end.
All the best,
Gabby