When I'm really stressed out or tired, it's easy for me to get overwhelmed and feel mentally exhausted. I feel drained and it feels hard to even function like a human being.
You know you're mentally exhausted when you can't focus, you're irritable, you forget things, you're not sleeping, or you feel tired, even when you had enough sleep.
Over the past couple of months, I've been taking care of and focusing on myself more. I learned a lot about myself, like my triggers for anxiety, and I learned when the point is that I start to feel like a zombie.
When you're constantly working and school is stressing you out, it's normal to feel overwhelmed. However, I've learned ways to cope and help me feel less like garbage.
1. Develop a morning and a night routine.
Keeping a routine has honestly made my life feel less chaotic and helped me keep myself together. It's honestly way harder to keep yourself from being overwhelmed when you're constantly running around in the morning looking for the stuff you need to bring to work.
In the morning, I make a cup of coffee and do my makeup while watching Netflix. At night, I take a shower, do a skincare routine, and unwind by watching Netflix with a face mask on.
2. Stay hydrated.
When I'm dehydrated, my whole body hurts. So, I try to make sure I'm drinking enough water.
3. Journal your feelings.
When you're upset and really don't want to talk about your feelings with an actual person, writing them down is just as cathartic. You put your feelings into words and you feel so much better because you can sort through why you feel the way you do.
4. Take time for yourself!
Go on coffee dates with yourself. Go shopping. Take a bath. Listen to music and dance around your room. You don't always have to be around people. Sometimes, being around people exhausts me more than anything. It's important to take time to be by yourself and recharge from a stressful day or week.
It's important to stay in tune with your body and check-in with yourself daily, even on good days. Mental exhaustion can sneak up on you when you've been stressed out for a while. Even though it's hard to control stress, it's good to try to ease it by taking care of yourself. It's okay to say no to plans to make sure you're doing well. Nobody is going to judge you for taking time for YOURSELF.
Life gets stressful, but taking care of yourself is essential.
