Prepare for this presentation, get ahead on this paper, start researching now, launch this Zoom call, update your resume, and get 8 hours of sleep every night.
I wonder if your mind is racing like this because these days, mine certainly is.
It’s almost the holiday season, college students are fleeing COVID-infested campuses to travel home, and the semester workload continues to pile up. I’ve found now more so than ever that the amount of time spent staring at my MacBook screen is quite concerning. I have a constant bug in the back of my head reminding me that there’s always something I can or should be working on, whether it’s school assignments, internship work, and future applications, or even holiday shopping. All of which I know and understand is important, but how can I turn my brain off for even 5 minutes?
The more I progress through my college career, especially the semesters that have been impacted by the Coronavirus, the more I can appreciate taking breaks. This could mean a 5-minute meditation video on YouTube, a 30-minute power nap, or a brief stroll outside. For me, a quick trip to Starbucks to get an iced coffee (further fueling me for the rest of the day) is what I usually jump to.
What I’ve begun to accept is that I’m only human! Simply speaking, I can’t work on a research paper for 5 hours straight without taking any sort of walk away from my laptop. I can’t read a textbook for more than 45 minutes without beginning to despise it, and I hate, hate writing what sometimes feel like meaningless discussion posts for class. But, I get my work done, I get it done well, and I invest myself- all of these being possible because I’m learning to take a step back when necessary.
So, buy yourself that coffee, sleep in an extra hour, or eat a whole bag of Goldfish while you rant about a class. Get your shit done, but think about yourself and your well-being in the process.