Juggling classes, work, activities, and other responsibilities can be difficult to do. However, sometimes this difficulty has less to do with poor time management and more to do with taking on too much. Here are signs that the latter applies to you.
1. You have something besides school scheduled every day.
Regardless of how well we plan things out, life is bound to throw unexpected assignments, responsibilities, and social obligations at us. Handling these curveballs will be almost impossible without at least a couple of “catch up” days during the week.
2. One unanticipated assignment or event sets your entire week back.
As mentioned before, having a few “white spaces” in your schedule helps prevent you from falling behind.
3. You often consider flaking on plans with friends simply because of time.
It took me a minute to learn this one….but the way you spend your time should be as well balanced as your diet! School may be one of your highest priorities, if not the highest, for good reason. But if you find yourself constantly pushing important people out of your life to accommodate for it, it’s time to make a schedule change.
4. You get extremely frustrated by small inconveniences.
No one likes to discover a mess in the kitchen or an empty tank of gas in the car. However, if these simple inconveniences always make you feel like the world is working against you, something larger is at play.
5. Your “to do list” becomes more of a “did not do” list even when you’re being productive.
Being efficient can only take you so far when you simply have too many things to do. The best solution is to back off of a few responsibilities to avoid feeling burnt-out.
6. You get distracted thinking about what you have to do when doing errands, making small talk, etc.
This indicates that your stress is so massive it’s affecting the parts of your life unrelated to work, which will be emotionally harmful to you in the long run.
7. Your immune system is taking a hit.
Unfortunately, the stress of being overcommitted shows physical effects as well. Although overloading on work may make you feel productive, this will backfire if you aren’t even healthy enough to stay on top of your busy schedule.
8. You are a sophomore in college born sometime between the 1990s and early 2000s.
The “sophomore slump” of our generation is TOO REAL. While it’s great that you’ve transitioned well enough into your college career to feel comfortable with multiple student organizations or jobs, it’s also good to ask yourself whether every one of the three social clubs you joined last semester actually adds value to your life.