Have you ever felt like you live in a sitcom? Specifically, those episodes where all the characters are pulled in thirty different directions and you hear the fake audience laughter as they show a montage of the characters running from place to place. It’s funny to watch, but not as funny to live.
As I have experienced senior year and talked to my senior friends, it’s pretty clear that at one point or another we all feel the craziness of life. Between school, extracurriculars, work, family responsibilities, and (for us seniors) college/scholarship applications, not to mention college or family trips, life really can be exhausting. And it’s not just one particular age group that experiences this. From high school freshmen to college students to adults, we all struggle at times with how overwhelming our responsibilities can be.
As someone who currently lives in the craziness of this and feels the immense nature of it, I unfortunately cannot say that I have figured out the secrets to being completely content and relaxed.
However, I can offer some tips and advice I have noticed to be helpful over the past few years.
Breaking Point
First, I want to link this post that I wrote at the beginning of this year for when you’re at your breaking point. Whether it’s dropping one of your responsibilities, being more diligent in prayer, or asking for advice, this post offers some of the things that helped me when I was super stressed last year.
Joyful in All Things
Psalm 68:3 says, “But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful”. Additionally, Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones”.
Both these verses highlight different aspects of joy. First, we know that the righteous can be happy and joyful before God. Because of the salvation that comes from Jesus Christ, we can be joyful in everything. This does not always mean we will be happy or feeling on top of the world, but deep in our hearts we can have joy.
I also have found laughing to be helpful when things seem overwhelming. And this is what the Proverbs verse gets at- a cheerful heart is the best medicine. If you’re stressed out or it seems like anything and everything is happening all at the same time, try to take a step back for a moment. Look at your life as if you were watching a TV show. Do things seem to be spiraling so quickly that it’s almost funny?
In the moment, you might feel more like crying. But if you really look at your life, you’ll likely realize that to some extent, your situation is funny. Of course, this does not work for everything, and some things are truly sad. But when you have 3 tests, a presentation, and a club meeting all on the same day, laughing will probably be more beneficial than crying. Plus, if you start laughing, your mood is likely to improve, and that will make everything seem easier.
Clarity Breaks
My senior thesis teacher introduced the idea of clarity breaks to my class this week. Clarity breaks, which ideally happen once a week, but at the very least once per month, involve you physically getting away from wherever you tend to do most of your work. Whether it’s going for a walk, a drive, to a coffee shop, or anywhere else that calms your mind, the point is to temporarily leave behind your normal routine.
It’s also best to carry a notepad and pen with you wherever you decide to go. That way, if an idea strikes you, you won’t forget it. Clarity breaks are not to forget about what you have to do, but to put your brain in a different place so you can view your problem with a refreshed mind.
Sleep
This one is probably by far the hardest for most people. When you have a lot going on, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in your work that you either forget what time it is or you choose to sacrifice some sleep.
But the reality is, very few people actually function well when they sacrifice sleep. We need about eight hours of sleep, with some people needing slightly less, and some people (including me) needing slightly more.
I know it can be stressful when you have a long list of things that need to be done and the day is ending. But you will probably be able to get more done if you get a full night’s sleep. It’ll be easier to focus and you will be able to feel more productive.
If you’re struggling to make a consistent sleep schedule, my best tip would be to be firm with yourself. Set a bedtime and do not let yourself go more than 15 minutes past it. Then set an alarm to wake up about 8 hours later (or 7 or 9, whatever you need). When you get up, begin your day with whatever your usual routine is, then get started on your work. You will feel so much more refreshed and ready to work after a restful night. Plus, your quality of work will probably much higher, and you’ll be in a better mood which will help you view little upsets with more rationality.
There is more I could say on this, and I will probably write more about it in the future. After all, we all have the TV show feeling in our lives sometimes. The important thing to remember is that when sitcom-esque situations happen in life, we need to view them that way. I know it’s too easy to become overwhelmed with everything that happens in a day, much less a week. But when we try to view life with a joyful heart and refreshed minds, life can seem a little less heavy and a little more fun.
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