For the past few weeks, my life has felt like a whirlwind that just won’t end. Between work, classes, and all of my other commitments, my time has been stretched so thin that I actually look forward to going to work so that I can take a break from everything else.
In short, I felt like I was drowning in responsibilities. If you’re anything like me, I promise you will benefit from taking my advice. So here it is: five steps you can take today to make sure you have a better tomorrow.
1. Make a list
I know that people say this all the time, but writing down everything that you have to do in a day really helps. Visualizing responsibilities makes them seem more doable, and the satisfaction of crossing something off the list is so worth it.
2. Prioritize
Look, I understand that finishing the first season of Stranger Things is something that you want to do, but it is absolutely not something that you need to do. Make it a reward for when you finish the important stuff (ie. Actually catching up on your classwork).
3. Sleep
I cannot tell you how much better you will feel after a full night’s sleep. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, going to sleep early is the best way for me to start fresh. The next day I always have a new perspective on what was stressing me and I’m better equipped to handle it.
4. Just do it
Stop stressing yourself out about everything you have to do and just do what you have to do. Actually removing something from the pile of things you need to do is a much better use of your time than worrying about the pile.
5. Talk to someone
But not about responsibilities. Call your mom or have a heart to heart with your roommate. Whatever you do, take a minute to remind yourself that you are more than the exam/paper/interview that is giving you so much stress. Giving yourself the opportunity to notice the people in your life who know how great you really are will help you find the determination to keep pushing through the week.
Hopefully if you take these steps, your commitments will seem less daunting tomorrow. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always ice cream.