The beginning of the semester (and the middle and the end) could be a bit overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be! It’s so easy to feel like exams, events, and to-dos are exponentially piling up — but with the right practices, there’s no need to feed into the mayhem. Next time you catch yourself on the verge of an overwhelm meltdown, do this!
1. STOP: Whatever you’re doing, just pause. Take a moment to breathe deeply and remind yourself that everything will fall into place. I’m sure you’ve felt this before and if I had to bet, I’d say it all worked out!
2. Let it out: Before even attempting to tackle the million and one things on your mind, separate 10-30 minutes to identify and then list everything that could be stressing you out. This could include upcoming assignments, an argument with a friend, or the fact that you’ve been meaning to return that library book but haven’t quite gotten to it yet. Whatever it may be, just let it all out. The next step is to identify what is in your control and what isn’t. For example, can you study for that test? Sure. Can you control if it’s going to rain during your track meet? Probably not (but if you can, I’d love to grab coffee sometime).
3. Simplify: You might think you have to do everything, but I can pretty much guarantee that it’s not all necessary. What can you get out of? What’s not enriching your life? It’s essential to say “no” when things get way too busy. That way, you can give your all to the things that add the most value to your life!
4. Organize: I don’t know about you but I am a million times more efficient when I’m in an organized environment. Your surroundings (this includes people) have a huge impact on your productivity and energy levels. Before attempting to get a bunch of stuff done, organize your work space, turn on some classical music, and log out of Facebook for the afternoon. This brings order to an otherwise-seemingly-disorderly situation.
5. Take massive action: Now that you’ve given yourself the gift of a pause, identified what you do have some control over, and simplified your life, it’s time to get down to business. Prioritize your to-do list and then start crossing that baby off! Rather than venting about how busy and stressed you are — just take care of what’s actually stressing you out!
Follow these five steps and I promise, you’ll be amazed at how quickly overwhelm will disappear and how efficient you’ll be!