Whether you are going through the rigors of a busy work schedule or you are a student trying to check off all of the boxes of assignments before your finals, there is plenty of stress to go around before the holiday season.

However, something that I would like to emphasize is the need to have some kind of outlet to put your daily energy into besides your work life or a particular social life.

Allow me to explain; if all work and no play makes you dull, then the opposite is also true to an extent. Students always have at least one point in the summer when they want to get back into the hustle and bustle of school even if they don’t want to admit it or how much it seems like a distant memory leading up to final exams.

The medium here is sometimes referred to as an outlet, but could just as easily be called a hobby. It is some activity that you, or with a group of similarly interested people, do for its own sake and enjoyment. It could be writing poetry, playing sports or working out, to even whittling a piece of wood. The point is that you are occupied by your enjoyment of that outlet and there may even be some kind of skill that needs to be developed over time.

Martial arts students will always be interested in their techniques, but martial arts are just as much about improving and earning new belts.

No matter how fast a skill is developed, the main idea is to have a certain activity that is not only enjoyable, but also able to focus your attention away from the other problems around you. When I take even a simple walk, I do not end it in a ball of stress thinking about everything that is going on, but I finish it quite relaxed and in a better state of mind.

You might think that would be the perfect time to overthink about everything, but the simple action of walking occupied my mind on more important things than any minor problems.

It’s also important to know that there should be some kind of enjoyment or satisfaction that comes out of these activities. I enjoy sports and working out, and think that it is essential to good health, but I have heard too many stories of kids essentially being forced to do sports and then never feeling that same desire for that activity for even years later.

An outlet is something that should make you enthusiastic about doing it, not like it is another obligation to fulfill.

Not only can outlets help keep your mind off of things that are quite trivial, but they also establish a positive feedback loop of doing activities. Your job may not be the reason for you to get out of bed in the morning, but sometimes knowing a nice, simple outlet waits for you can be all the motivation that you need.