Life is stressful. Deadlines seemingly come out of nowhere, exam season never seems to end, and every single day, it seems as though we are faced with yet another decision to make about the future. Yet somehow, despite all these tasks and responsibilities, despite the pressure and stress and overwhelming assignments, I still somehow find myself reaching for a distraction. Whether it's playing game on my phone, watching a YouTube video, calling a friend, or even doing chores around the apartment. For some reason, the quiz the next day, the paper that's due Friday, or any of the other academic items on my to do list take the back seat. This might seem like a classic case of procrastination, a trait exhibited by students young and old, but there is a certain type of satisfaction that comes with getting away with indulging in something you're not supposed to be doing.

Many people use stress as a motivator. When the responsibilities start to pile up, that sense of worry in the bottom of your stomach tries to tell you that you can't do it all. Some people respond to this ill-willed message with an impassioned work ethic and kick it into high gear. However, there is a certain threshold where the stress becomes a little too much to bear. At that point, the stress ceases to inspire hard work and dedication. Instead, it inspires us to stall, forget, and push the worries as far out of our minds as we can for as long as we can. It's somewhat of a toxic coping mechanism. Too many things to do? Can't figure out where to start? Does it all seem like it's too much too handle, and I should probably get started right now?

Nah, Maybe I'll just scroll through Instagram instead.

I don't need anyone to tell me that this "study method" is unsustainable. As busy people, we can try to sell it to ourselves as a form of "self-care" or "just needing a break", but if you just need a break from the break you took twenty minutes ago, you might be more than just tired.

Seeking out distractions rather than just "getting distracted" with what life might throw is a signal to me that I may be in over my head. It may mean that I need to take a step back, and force myself to reassess how I'm going about my responsibilities.

But there's another problem. Going through my responsibilities to sort out how to best tackle my tasks is yet another added stress. And suddenly, I'm back on Facebook, Twitter, or whatever poison I happen to pick for that hour.

This internal battle is constant, but acknowledging it is the first step. Little things help. Turning off my phone, putting it in a completely different room, or actually scheduling time for breaks are all things that have given me a modicum of success. However, old habits die hard, and every once in a while, especially on particularly busy evenings, I find myself searching for yet another distraction.