It seems this is the year of working yourself to death— or perhaps it's always been this way. I can't help but notice that in this culture, it's a commonality, almost a necessity, to work until the crack of dawn— to work until your body physically drains itself. It's almost like, if you're not overworking yourself, then what are you doing?
In this culture, we suddenly begin to believe that someone with more commitments is more valued— it's like saying your exhaustion and responsibilities are nothing in comparison to mine. The words tired, exhausted, overwhelmed and busy have all changed their definitions into excuses to back out of plans, slack on other commitments and to not take care of yourself.
This desire to show the world how much we can do is deeply flawed. Working yourself to death is not the sign of hard-worker, but instead the exact opposite. Those who are smart about their commitments know when to take a break— they know when they've had enough.
When you've maxed out yourself physically and emotionally, you're going to find that you aren't giving your best work. You're showing that you don't know how to create boundaries in personal and work life.
A student and employee who knows their limitations, who knows how to say no and advocate for themselves, will perform the best in their commitments and thrive at life in general.
When you dedicate yourself to too many commitments, whether it's to boost your resume or to prove what you can accomplish, you start to lose focus on why you decided to be involved in the first place.
When you have too much on your plate, it's almost impossible to actually enjoy what you're doing in the first place-- and isn't that the whole purpose of involvement? Burning out is a real thing, and it can be prevented early on.
What is the point in being a part of something that you can't fully enjoy because you're so sleep-deprived from working on five other projects the night before? Exactly. There is no point.
All I'm really trying to say is don't lose sight of yourself. Don't forget why you're in what you're involved in, whether it be at school, work, sports, volunteering or any other extracurricular.
Use that intense passion to hone in on what you love the most. It will truly be an amazing experience when you can fully do what you love and love what you do.