Lately my life has been incredibly exciting, but also insanely busy. I can honestly say this month has been the busiest of my life, and so far there is no end in sight.
My apartment is a mess, I still haven’t unpacked from the past 2 weekend’s trips, and I’m weirdly tired a lot. However, a lot of great things have been happening and so I have to remind myself that this is just a phase and I will eventually have time to clean my house and read some of the books that are sitting on my nightstand. Until then, I sometimes feel like I am in this survival mode, and I really want to break out.
I started last night by running, which I hadn’t done in a while. And I took Sunday to simply relax. Now it’s way too early on Monday morning and I made a list of everything I have to do this morning before work. #1 Blog. #2 Vlog. #3 Grad school HW, #4 Review presentations for work today.
Cleaning still hasn’t made it on the list yet.
And while I absolutely hate having a messy apartment, I have let the house go at the expense of things that are much more important to me, such as speaking at the Dream Gala, writing my book, and spending time with my husband.
It’s all about priorities, and while sometimes prioritizing means some things simply get left behind, that is when prioritizing is most important.
Because when you get into those super-crazy-life-is-so-busy modes, you are in danger of leaving the important things behind.
So how do you make sure you do not leave what is important behind? How do you decide what is important? Often, I work with students who say they put school first, but often the way they spend their time proves otherwise. And what I see worst of all, is that many students prioritize grades and studying above sleep and health. Not good. Not necessary.
While a good study habit is to carve out a few hours in the library to study and prioritize all of the HW you have to do that day, another important life habit is to have a list of priorities so you know how to act and how to spend your time when things get hectic.
Every one’s priority lists are going to be very different and uniquely personal. However, a few things to consider:
- If you don’t sleep well you will get sick and your mental capacities will be weakened.
- When you are sick nothing else matters, and you don’t have the full energy to get things done.
- If you get the best grades and achieve monetary success, will it matter if you alienate the people you care about?
- If you have tons of friends but end up with poor grades and working in a mediocre boring job, will it be worth the time spent 8 hours/day in misery?
- If your house is a disaster but it means you had a wonderful weekend with your husband after not seeing him for 2 weekends in a row, is it worth it? For me, the answer is a resounding Yes.
These are not easy decisions to make. Especially when you are in the eye of the “busy” storm, it is hard to prioritize, as we seem to think whatever is the most imminent is the priority. But living like that will never help you reach your goals.
Take a step back today and think about your true-life priorities. Now think about how you are spending your time today. Do they coincide? If they don’t, start thinking about how to change your routine and refocus your life so that you are putting your energy towards the things that matter most, and learning to let go of the things that just aren’t as important.
And on this Valentine’s Day, especially if you are feeling sad and single, remember that college is such an exciting and formative time in your life, and too often students let the drama of relationships impede their experience and future success. Look at all the relationships in your life and be thankful for the ones that lift you up and make you better every day. If they don’t, you should seriously consider why you let them in your life.
The heart especially must be guided with priorities. Because sometimes it can mess you up big time.
Not to be a downer on Valentines Day, but I am speaking from my heart <3
Happy Valentines Day.
You're absolutely right about prorities. Once you've set priorities in life, you can deal with anything.
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