Midterm Chaos

 

Ahhh... midterm season.  The time when papers, exams, projects, and well... everything comes due at once.  It's also a season filled with fun opportunities to celebrate with Halloween parties, basketball games, football games, and Fall celebrations.  With so much going on, it's easy to get overwhelmed.  And, for many of us, getting overwhelmed means that we start to shut down, avoiding people and avoiding what we need to do.  So, how do we deal with this?  How do we get everything done?

First all, it may not be possible to get everything done. It is possible to simply have too much on your plate.  If that's the case, it's time to prioritize.  Take your to-do list and put it into 3 piles:  Must do, Should do, Would like to do.  And, then proceed accordingly.  Get rid of everything that isn't a high priority.  And, say "No" to adding anything else to your plate that isn't a Must do.

Second, start small. Find the smallest thing or least overwhelming thing on your to-do list to tackle first. I often feel better about my list when I see a few things crossed out, even if they're smaller items.  It makes the full list look less daunting and gives me some motivation to continue to conquer more.  If there's nothing on your to-do list that's small, add something.  It can be something as simple as "drink coffee", "eat lunch", "go to class", or "take shower". 

Be flexible.  Take a look at your schedule for the week.  Are there days where you simply can't do anything on your list because you're at work or in class?  What about days where you have long stretches of open time?  Move stuff around to where it fits best.  And, if you don't get something done today, give yourself permission to move it to tomorrow.  It's not about perfection.  It's about progress.

Find a way to make things a bit more bearable.  Crank up the music and sing while you work.  Listen to lectures while you're working out. Take your laptop outside to work if it's a beautiful day. Reward yourself with something fun. Anything you can do to lighten your mood will make the work go by faster.  

Lastly and most importantly -  schedule some fun.  Life should be enjoyed.  So, make sure you take some time to be silly and have some fun.  

Good luck!

*Image taken from Facebook post by Coffee*Soul*Wine: https://www.facebook.com/coffeegodis420lotus/