This is what it looks like when you spread yourself too thin.

So is this

And this

If you've ever looked like that you probably went through these 12 stages. You're not alone, so did I.

Stage 1 - Invincibility

Here you are, Queen of the world. You can do anything and everything and you know it. So, you sign up for and commit to doing...everything.

Stage 2 - The Hints

As you sign up for yet another time commitment, you begin to think "This might be too much". Maybe you should hold back. Then you hush the smart part of your brain and push on.

Stage 3 - Denial

This is the part where you channel your inner warrior and the song from Mulan starts playing in the back of your head. Along with that comes every success quote ever. You begin to whisper almost obsessively, "Work Hard, Play Hard". You twitch a little, but you figure, so did Einstein. Right?

Stage 4 - Planning

You've got it all figured out now. All you have to do is strategize, which leads you to make a plan for exactly how you're going to do the impossible. If you study exactly 17 hours each day, for 4 days of the week and on the other 3 days you make time for everything else, you know like...sleep, you'll be fine. Organization and persistence is everything.

Stage 5 - The Plan Fails

Okay, so many it isn't feasible to study 17 hours per day leaving no hours for, say, eating, or bathing. But all you have to do is rework a few things here and there and you'll be just fine.

Stage 6 - Back to the Drawing Board

If at first you don't succeed, try again. And with this in your unbreakable soul, you move on to plans B-Z.

Stage 7 -This Also Fails

Wow. Who would have thunk that with 36 words in the English alphabet, not a single one of those plans worked out. Not the energy drinks, not the yoga instead of sleep and rather unsurprisingly not the time you tried to convince yourself that you don't need sleep because you're a superhuman from the planet mars. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way.

Stage 8 - You Rationalize

By now, people are starting to notice the slight twitch in your left eye and your starting to notice that you can barely stand on two feet. But it's okay, all these things are the endearing characteristics of a driven genius and all this hard work is going to pay off. Some people may see it as overexertion, you see it as planting the fruits of your labor. Someday, soon you'll harvest hose juicy fruits of glory and all of this will be worth it.

Stage 9 - The Fall

Then you begin to fall behind. First one assignment, then 3, then you miss a deadline, then you miss 4 meetings. What's due when? Who's it due to? What shift am I working? Who am?

Stage 10 - Sleep Becomes Your Solace

After all that stress and strategy, panic ensues and sleep is the only way to deal with it. You look at your desk, you look at your bed. You look at your desk, you look back at your bed. When in doubt take a nap, am I right? Why work when you can sleep? Why eat when you can sleep?

Stage 11 - You Finally Realize It's All A Little Impossible

Maybe it's finally time to realize this is unsustainable. The sleeplessness, the stress, the constant feeling that you have something that needs to get done. You can't live like this. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS.

Stage 12 - You Get Emotional

You're screaming or crying or lashing out at your mom about her stylistic choices. Why? Because you're upset. Because you can't do it all and that is infuriating.

Stage 13 - But Then You Learn

You can't do it all and you don't have to. That's okay. Everyone needs room in their lives to just breathe otherwise you end up a stifled mess struggling to hold on to the peace of mind that left you a long time ago. You let something go, a wise choice.

Stage 14 - Or Did You?

But, what about next week?