I’m a big fan of a to-do list. I like having everything I have to get done in one spot so I can check it off as I go and feel accomplished when I check off the last thing on the list. It seems like my to-do lists have been rather long recently and it made me stop and think about what exactly I put on my to-do lists. They usually always consist of things that I don’t actually want to do. Homework, meetings, errands, and other boring tasks that college students have to complete everyday.

What my to-do lists never include are fun things, moments to breathe, and downtime.

Unfortunately, I feel like we tend to associate relaxing, watching TV, and other leisure activities as wasting time. They are seen as things that are only to be done once you have completed everything else you need to do.

There are days that I can’t help but wonder if maybe it would be beneficial to include these things in our to-do lists. When our to-do lists are super long the first thing we do is push aside the things we need most. Breakfast is skipped, bedtime is usually some time in the early AM, and don’t even get me started on how little water I drink.

Come Monday morning when I write out my to-do list for the week I’m going to be sure to include things like “drink a glass of water” and “go for a walk”. I think it’s time we start prioritizing ourselves on the same level that we prioritize our everyday responsibilities.

Work, school, and other commitments aren’t things we can just give up (unfortunately), but we also have to know our limitations. We have to understand that taking a nap or watching a few episodes of your favorite show on Netflix doesn’t make you lazy, even if you still have a lot of things still on your to-do list. Don’t forget to make yourselves a priority.