Let’s be real. Life is busy. Hella busy. Especially when you are in school. Life becomes HELLA busy. If you don’t balance work/school with your social life and your alone time properly, you will drown in an ocean of tears and paperwork. Trust me, I’ve been there. We all have to draw a line somewhere. Give yourself a social media detox, homework detox, or even a life detox! TREAT YO’ SELF. It’s essential to staying sane in this world. Sometimes you even have to detox from something you love, like wine. Thankfully dry January is over and I can drink freely!
I have some go-to’s when I feel a mental breakdown coming on, or if I have. a few free hours. And to be honest, these things are life savers, I probably would have dropped out of school if I didn’t figure out how I can de-stress.
1.Watch a movie or a tv show.
Personally, I use this as a form of escapism. After school, I watch an episode of The Mindy Project or American Housewife and chill for an hour. It takes this weird weight off of my shoulders that I didn’t know what there. It gives your brain a second to chill out. Your brain is technically not a muscle, but you should treat it like one. When you take a break and watch something mindless, it is like taking a break between reps.
2. Write a to-do list (one long-term and one short-term)
I know it sounds crazy, writing two different to-do lists is a bit insane… BUT IT WORKS! I keep one daily or weekly to-do list (depending on how I feel) and one monthly to-do list. The daily/weekly to-do list helps me stay on top of homework and household chores, while the monthly list helps me keep an eye on the bigger picture (aka my new years eve resolutions).
3. Keep a planner on you at all times
I am a maniac, running around from one job to the next and to school and back… I need physically need a planner to let me know what job I am going to have to be at on what day and at what time. I even put when essays and homework are due. I highlight tests, birthdays, and pretty much anything major. It keeps this busy girl sane.
4.Keep a monthly layout
Again, I know I am an organization freak (if you saw my room or asked my mom… they would say otherwise). But keeping my planner on me along with having a desk layout helps me in so many ways. I keep everything major on my desk layout and mark it up with when I work and anything major. It helps give you an idea of what you need to get done now and what can wait. It also helps remind you to keep an eye out for a bday coming up in the next few weeks.
5.Give yourself at least one day off a week
I cannot stress this enough! Give yourself a day to sleep in, catch up on a book or tv show. This is another form of escapism I use. I try to steer clear of the news and anything argumentative for a day and chill out with my friends. Sometimes without my friends (we all need some alone time). I try not to think about class or work and I just spend a day at leisure. It is amazing. Personally, I try to do household chores during my day of leisure so I don’t feel like a complete bum, but hey, we all have our quirks.
6. Take your self out to eat
I love food. I am always on the hunt for an amazing restaurant. Sometimes you aren’t in the mood to talk to people, it happens. Or maybe no one is free and you really want to try out a new restaurant. Just take yourself out to eat. I have to be honest, I was so stressed out the first handful of time I went to a restaurant alone. But eventually, I felt okay putting my phone down and leaving myself to my thoughts. It’s actually very relaxing, I swear.
