Sometimes I feel like I have two separate mindsets when it comes to planning and organization. One mindset is my planner brain. I crave a routine, which is why I hate changes in my life. I feel as though I have to keep structure in my life. I do not feel leveled without a to-do list of items I have to do while working on assignments or things I need to do around my room. I have a to-do list on paper, on my computer, on another notepad, and my phone at all times. It is not the idea of making sure I cross off everything in one day, but doing it over a week or a few days. The other brain is my chaotic side. It is how I am in the other areas of my life– hanging out with friends or in my room at home. This part of my brain hates routines and the same thing every day. On vacations with my mom, we go somewhere and when we get there we are spontaneous. I make plans with my friends easily. I go with the flow and do not worry about what I need to do after.Â
If I am too on a schedule, I need a change in my life. I crave change at times when I am too stressed to think about what I need to do. I still get everything done in my life, but I just need an activity to take my brain off what I need to do.Â
When I was younger, I found ways to change up my life. For example, when I was six, I decided I was done with my bangs that I had for so long. I did the only thing that I thought could get rid of my bangs…I cut them off. It was a week before my first grade photos, and I had a non-straight line for my bangs, my mom panicked a lot about that. Luckily, for my mom’s stress levels and my hair, I have found new ways to change up my life in a way that works for everybody. I rearrange my room when I need a change in my life. My current room has been different many, many times. My room is big so I have the freedom to move my furniture to many different spaces. My walls are changing frequently.
Recently I have been under a lot of stress with many different things in my life. I have had a major suite-mate problem arise that caused everyone in our suite to be stressed out. I have had the stress of assignments and readings I need to do. The main stress that made me worry a lot last week had to do with a family issue that arose.
For a while now I have wanted to move my bed so it is facing a wall and not the rest of my room. I have pushed this off for a while because I needed help from someone else and did not want to do it unless I was sure it was something I wanted to do. I decided to ask my brother last week, since I was stressed, to help me. I spent last Saturday working on fixing my room and moving everything else where I wanted it. At the end I felt more relaxed for the next week and felt my stress go away.Â
I was able to focus on something else that had nothing to do with what was happening in my life. Overall, this past week I have been less stressed than I had been the last few weeks, and maybe it was because of the roommate conflict being resolved. Or maybe it was because I focused on something else. So if you feel stressed and need a break from your stress, rearrange something in your life. If it is rearranging your room or redecorating a shelf and shuffling the knick-knacks on it, do it! Just take a moment and make a small change in your space, instead of trying to change something that you can not.