Do you ever feel like a walking zombie in your day-to-day life? Are you constrained by obligations for school, work and other people? Taking back control of your life can seem impossible to achieve when you are constantly on the go and committing your time to everyone except yourself. As college students, maintaining a sense of self over course work, athletic responsibilities and social relationships takes some practice. For anyone looking to recalibrate their life, here are a few tips that might help you find some balance.
1. One step at a time
Waking up is one of the most difficult things to do when you have somewhere to be. Lazing around in bed for a few more minutes sounds much better than showering, finding clothes to wear, gathering your necessary belongings and leaving the house. When thinking about the things you need to do, it can become harder to achieve them – a common problem for those who struggle with time management. Rather than actually doing a task, you may start to overthink about how to start the task, how long the task will take and each individual step along the way.
If you catch yourself overthinking, take a deep breath and start one step at a time. Breaking down your tasks into manageable pieces is less likely to overwhelm you and will also provide you with short-term motivation to get up and do it.
2. It’s okay to say no
Scheduling events, classes, dates and other important occasions might be stressful and draining. On the other hand, the fear of missing out – commonly abbreviated as FOMO – is also anxiety-inducing for some. Remembering that life will always go on whether you say yes or no to a commitment is a pretty big pill to swallow even if it seems obvious.
Remember that it is necessary to say no sometimes. Staying at home at least one day a week – perhaps during the weekend – to cleanse your mind, body and living space may make a positive difference in your life. Having time to yourself is just as important as maintaining a good image with society. This does not mean you should cancel plans when you just don’t feel like going. Instead, make your plans with caution and remember the commitments you’ve already made.
3. Mistakes will happen
Nobody is perfect and one mistake isn’t going to ruin your whole life. It’s okay to feel bad about problems that have occurred in the past, but at some point you need to learn from it and move on. Fixating on old troubles and mistakes can become unhealthy and learning to let go of these thoughts could be the key to your growth. Accept that the past is the past and prioritize living in the moment.
Writing down everything you feel is holding you back and then throwing it away may help you move on from past mistakes. Just because you did something bad in the past doesn’t mean you can’t grow. Our lives are linear – they move forward no matter what.
4. Keep yourself on track
Loosely plan out your day. You don’t have to plan all the way down to the minute but try to have an arranged time for work, relaxation and sleep. By scheduling your day, it will become easier to accept or decline plans from others. You will start to feel like you have more free time to do things you want or need to do. Sometimes you might forget what you were supposed to do in a day or you might forget you have an appointment somewhere – this is where scheduling might help.
One way to keep yourself on track is to have a journal or planner to write down what you did that day and what you’d like to achieve the next day.
5. The Law of Attraction
You are more likely to find things you desire if you believe that good things will come to you. The Law of Attraction suggests that positivity attracts positivity. Keep a positive attitude and find ways to relax. There is always good happening around us even if it’s small.
If you are having a bad day, try to find one good thing around you that makes you happy. Whether it’s your cat or a favorite shirt, you will always have something that will make you feel good.
While you do have obligations, learning to balance your selflessness and selfishness will help you in the long run. Make yourself feel accomplished and happy with your life.