You are the go-getter, the workhorse, the ball of fire, the busy bee and the one who never sleeps. You do it all, and better yet, you want to do it all. No one is forcing you, or asking you, but instead you search for things to constantly keep yourself busy. Going 90 miles an hour is your forte. Everyone you know describes you as a hard worker and you find pride in this. You may even identify yourself solely in your work, or by the next big project you have coming up.
To you, being busy isn’t “being busy” -- it is a life style. Your semester is an overload of courses along with a job and extracurricular activities. Some of your work is really work and the rest of it you just call a “light activity.” The real work you can’t avoid, and the “light activity” is the work you actually enjoy doing. To most people your schedule would be deemed insane, but to you it’s perfectly normal. You love your classes and your job -- your life wouldn’t be the same without it all. You are filled with excitement at the thought of a new semester and a fresh slate (that you will ultimately fill with the tackling of endless endeavors). So, to kick off the new semester, here are a few goals to help your overactive self achieve everything you want without drowning in the process.
Recognize that sometimes, enough is enough.
Stop and ask yourself, “What would my life be like if I wasn’t constantly running around with one million things to do?” Then ask, “What would my life be like if I had absolutely nothing that needed my attention?” The answers to those two questions are probably scary thoughts for you to comprehend because for as long as you can remember, you have had something to do. Every night of the week has been carefully scheduled; every minute perfectly accounted for and etched into your color-coded day planner. In the new semester make it a goal to have one night a week free to do something completely unrelated to work. Dedicate this time to hanging out with friends or binge watching Netflix. You do not need to drop all of your activities, but if you find yourself going to bed super late, waking up super early and forgetting where your friends live, you may need to reevaluate your work load.
Draw the line and leave it.
You keep finding yourself swamped in work and you promise yourself that one day you are going to draw the line. Maybe you drew the line one day and then crossed it, or worse, erased it. Well, it’s a new semester, so make that day today. Draw the line. Learn to say no. What would happen if you said no to planning the next hall meeting or you didn’t join another club? Well, you would probably be able to breathe. You would have time to just sit and relax, or maybe even go on a walk. You have probably been so busy making mental notes on your walks to campus lately that you haven’t been able to enjoy what is going on around you. Make it a goal this semester to say no to something you know you do not have the time to tackle. Trust me, your resume is fine and your social life will thank you.
Realize you are appreciated.
You do all of this work and you love it. You love being constantly busy, but even you have those days when they feel like no one notices. You have accomplished so much, and you continually try to accomplish it all. If you could major in everything you would, and if it were possible for a single person to solve global warming before breakfast you would have done that too. Do not let yourself be fooled. People notice. All of your hard work and efforts are appreciated. It may not be said enough, but people are grateful for what you do. You are the person who makes sure the group project is done on time. You are the friend that brings lunch to your sick coworker on your lunch break. You were the one that made sure your family was on time to every important function. You carry the heavy load, and for that, society thanks you. So learn to thank yourself. Stop beating yourself down and convincing yourself you never do enough because you are wrong. You do it all and you do it all well.
The next time you find yourself running from one meeting to the next, stop yourself. Slow down and breathe. Draw the line and realize you are appreciated. Taking a step back is hard, but you will thank yourself one day. Take time to make memories while working. Life is a gift, and you have definitely figured out how to make the most of it. You are an overly ambitious person with the means and willpower to conquer it all. Society needs people like you to keep the world going. One day you will conquer it all, but you might have to settle for not being able to do it all before lunch.
