We all have dreams, things we want to do and things we have to do.
We all have a job we need to do -- whether it be a full-time office job, a part-time retail job, a school career, or a mix -- so we can meet our bills just to survive. Maybe, if we're a little lucky, more than just survive. This is a normal part of our society.
You know what else is normal?
Nobody seeming to have enough time.
A normal week for me goes like this: ten hours on campus on Monday; nine-and-a-half hours on campus, then three hours at a friend's apartment on Tuesday; ten hours on campus most Wednesdays (sometimes up to thirteen hours long); nine-and-a-half hours on campus on Thursdays; then only three hours on Fridays.
That doesn't sound too bad, but that's just when I take into account the amount of time I'm not at my apartment. It doesn't take into account the mental energy required for class or work, the unending homework that has to be done, the online class I'm taking, or the chores that go ignored until Friday afternoon.
Because, just like any other adult, I have laundry and dishes and my room to clean and shopping to do. My apartment turns into a wreck during the week, and my cat goes feeling unloved.
I'm a busy person.
Most people are busy people.
My schedule may be unique to me, but the chaos and pressure from the lack of time to do what's necessary, let alone what I want to do, doesn't affect only me.
The first article I wrote mentioned burnout, the experience of being so stressed and so on-the-go for so long, you begin to feel constantly exhausted, get sick more easily, lose your appetite, and start getting more irritable. While I'm not going to talk about burnout specifically, I am going to talk about what your body says to you that you need to listen to.
If your appetite gets weird, take a break. Put yourself on a snack schedule if you can. Always have something easy and light to eat. After realizing this past week that I've stopped feeling hunger (again), I have to keep snacks on me to make sure I don't get dizzy or lightheaded (again). KIND bars and peanut butter crackers are my go-to snack, and I always try to drink a lot of water with them.
If you start forgetting things, take a break. If you're naturally forgetful, that's one thing, but if you're starting to forget whether you did the homework for your class or emailed your professor that important thing or called your dad back (and you normally remember all of those things), it's time to take some time for yourself.
If you're feeling like you're getting sick, take a break. Especially if you've felt, for several days, like you're beginning to get sick. If you don't have the chance to actually take a break, at the very least take some multivitamins to make sure your immune system is getting some kind of boost. You not taking care of yourself will hurt your immune system.
If every little thing makes you irritable, take a break. I'm a person who proudly wears my Bitch Badge, but I know when my irritation isn't rational. I know I've reached that recently, and it's a good sign of needing some alone time. Even if it's just an episode of your favorite show or a video compilation of cute animals, take the time for a mental break.
If you find yourself longing to do a hobby, take a break. Do that hobby. Whatever that hobby is, do it. Nobody has time to not do things they enjoy, especially when the hectic day-to-day makes everything blend together. Read that book or watch that show until the early hours of the morning and have a triple espresso to make up for it.
There are a variety of little self-care things you can do for yourself, so take some time to research and find out what works for you. Nobody has the time for anything but the necessities, but people need to realize that a necessity is yourself. You are important, and everything you do is affected by how you're feeling.
So always make sure you're feeling your best.
