Us younger folks in the more recently developed generations have a bad habit of overworking ourselves. Not being able to curate a healthy work-life balance can prove to be very detrimental, especially if all of this work is leading you to neglect other necessities like sleeping and eating. I get it, life can be incredibly overwhelming: working a job, going to school, extra-curriculars, internships, demanding friends and family can most definitely lead to high stress.
Responsibilities give us structure, discipline and help us grow and learn. However, it is imperative that we prioritize events in our lives to make time for ourselves. Consistently neglecting our needs to decompress or express yourself in some way leads to depletion of mental, emotional and physical energy. You won’t be performing your best if you’re already worked to the bone. There’s a misconception around the act of self-care, some may feel as though they’re being “lazy” or “selfish” for setting aside very valuable time for themselves. Self-care is a means of survival, not something to be condemned. In a way, self-care is productive. Rest and rejuvenation is nourishing for our minds and bodies, thus allowing us to go and tackle our workload of homework or whatever it may be, in a more accurate and fulfilling way.
If you’ve been conditioned by the ways of hustle culture, it can be helpful to take a step back and ask ourselves why we are choosing to bite off more than we can take. Are specific people in your life placing heavy expectations on your shoulders? Or maybe you place those demanding expectations on yourself thinking that you aren’t worthy if you’re not “successful.” Perhaps constantly staying busy allows you to go into auto-pilot and distract yourself from unpleasant feelings or events going on in another aspect of your life? Depending on the reason, coming up healthier coping mechanisms or setting boundaries can aid to the persistent feeling of being on the go.
Take time to figure out what hobbies bring you joy, comfort and ease. Planning out your days and your responsibilities can be helpful in setting aside a definite time to partake in these hobbies (even if said hobby is sleeping, make time for it!). Running on a low battery makes for insufficient work, and can seriously affect your physical, emotional and mental health. There isn’t a point in forcing yourself to take on some much if you feel miserable most of the time. Allowing yourself the joy and fulfillment of doing things you life and relaxing will better help you enjoy other aspects of life in general. So now that I’ve said my piece, take a few minutes to relax your shoulders, take a deep breath and think of all the ways you can be kind and accommodating to yourself.