If you’re anything like me, it probably feels like a million thoughts pass through your head every day. I am constantly considering what my next move will be as I mentally plan out my week. I visualize my calendar in my head, adorned with bright red deadlines, exams, papers due, social obligations, and it can all feel a bit overwhelming at times. If I have an especially rigorous or emotional day, completing all the tasks can seem particularly daunting.
Our brain can only take so much information and emotion before it feels like it’s going to explode. In a world that values the hustle and bustle of college and work, it can be difficult to slow down. Something that has profoundly helped me when it comes to handling my school obligations, social commitments, emotions, and overall busyness is journaling. Implementing journaling into my daily morning and evening routine has been pivotal in how I manage my world load and stress levels. There is something cathartic about taking my hectic mental calendar and turbulent emotions and transcribing them on paper, almost as if I’m releasing a burden from my brain through the pen on my page. Here’s how I do it:
- Having multiple journals has been key for me; one for scheduling and another for writing out the emotions I’m feeling that day. In the morning, I think it is important to set an intention for what you want to accomplish that day. I take out my scheduling journal and begin by writing down the obligations I have that day: classes, work commitments, social plans, you name it. Then, I write down what I want to accomplish in my free time. I write down the homework assignments I want to start, if I want to exercise, readings I have to do, and so on. Putting a plan in place is the first step to instilling productivity in yourself. Having a structured list helps organize the jumbled chaos of tasks that can create a frenzy in your brain.
- In the evening, I like to return to my schedule and cross out the things I got done. If there’s some tasks you weren’t able to get to: no worries! Just find a way to implement them into your schedule tomorrow or the next day or whenever else you can find time. In the evening, I also like to turn to another journal where I can document how I am feeling about my day. I like to just free write a stream of consciousness, write about the good things that happened, the bad things that happened, anything that comes to mind. Having this time to expel your thoughts and emotions can be really therapeutic, and free up some brain space. It’s a great thing to do right before bed with a nice cup of tea and without your phone or laptop. Make it a part of how you wind down in the evening.
Hopefully this can give you some tips on how to implement some structure into your schedule. As college students, life can often feel anarchical at times, but taking a second to breath and create space for yourself to plan and think freely can be extremely helpful.