Have you ever been so busy that it feels like you don't even have time to breathe?
I know that between being involved in different groups on campus, having a job, friends, homework, and everything else, it seems like some days you don’t even have time to think.
You think you can do it all, don't you? Let me start off by telling you that you are capable of doing whatever you want and anything you set your mind to. With that being said, trying to do it all will eventually take a toll. My freshman year of college went by quicker than I could imagine. Now, closing off my sophomore year, I realize, this year has gone by even faster.
I have realized I have too many obligations at times and not enough fun. My standard response to "how are you today?" has simply become "busy." Being "busy" has begun to hurt relationships with people I care dearly about because I don't even have time to talk or see them.
So here are a few things that you should take into consideration before you say "yes" to the next sign-up sheet.
Think about all the things that make you busy. How important are they? Do they make you happy? Will they really help you later on? How have they affected you? Do you love what you are involved with? What is your mental and physical state? Are you taking care of yourself: eating, sleeping, showering, and exercising? Are you experiencing stress or anxiety or continuous exhaustion?
Over-commitment leads to things beginning to feel like a chore, even things you "loved" and were passionate about. Committing to too many things can ruin how you feel about those things and your motivation and performance in them. You want to be able to give your best in anything you do, 100% of the time.
It is better to do well in a few things than doing mediocre in everything you can possibly try to do. In this situation, I suggest that anything you find a “chore” you need to rid yourself of in your life. These "chores" add to the stress and the negativity in your daily routine. You need to be passionate about what you spend your time doing. You deserve to live a happy and healthy life. Make sure your choices and decisions will reflect an outcome of that.
Going back to your health, stress can cause a number of issues in your life. Stress can cause mental memory problems, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, negative thoughts, anxiousness, and constant worrying. Emotional symptoms can include depression, anxiety, moodiness, irritability, anger, agitation, feeling overwhelmed, loneliness, and isolation.
Physical symptoms can be as follows: aches and pains, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, rapid heart rate, frequent colds or flu. Your behaviors may even change due to stress. These changes in behavior include a change in appetite (eating too much or too little), sleep pattern (sleeping too much or too little), procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities, abusing substances, and nervous habits like pacing or biting nails.
Besides mentally being affected, you need to take care of your body physically. Spending even just 30 minutes to an hour a day doing some physical activity can help to boost your endorphin levels. This can change your mood from worse to better. Some things you could do are some fitness classes, run a little, or hop on a bicycle!
Taking just 30 minutes to an hour out of your day to relax a little bit and take care of your body can make all the difference. If you don't want to do it alone, ask a friend or family member. It's a great way to be active together and catch up at the same time.
With your busy schedule, you should always have time for the people in your life whether friends, family, or a girlfriend/boyfriend. If you don’t have time to eat lunch with someone then chances are your schedule is too packed. I know I am guilty of this. I would go from school, to work, to babysitting, and then to meetings. Only after all that did I start doing my homework and studying.
Meeting up with someone for 30 to 45 minutes to grab some food and talk about your life is not going to kill you, and as I previously stated, you need to take time out to take care of your body, and if your schedule is so crammed full of activities that you can’t eat, something in your schedule needs to go.
When was the last time you really enjoyed doing something with the people you love? When was the last time you weren't stressed out? There were some days I couldn't remember the last time I had a day off, hung out with certain people, or did a hobby I liked.
Finally, breathe. Your life is not some episode of a television survival show. It is okay to take a step back at times. If you can’t remember the last time you went without worrying, you probably can't remember the last time you were caught up either. If you can dedicate some time every day to “catching up” eventually you won't have to try to catch up anymore because you will be completely caught up. Try to set a goal of actually getting ahead of schedule, so that maybe you have time for a movie night with your friends or some time to do something you enjoy.
Remember, next time you want to say "yes" to the sign-up sheet, remind yourself that you can only do so much and that when it comes to being busy, sometimes, less is more.