Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Learning - #3

Unfortunately this year, especially this semester, I severely overextended myself.  I felt that address stress and the difficulty of balancing nannying, schoolwork, and clubs.  I will run myself into the ground trying to get everything on my list accomplished.  I have the hardest time telling people “no” or slacking on my responsibilities.  I also over-compensate for other people’s negligence.

In regards to my job, I have nannied for the same family on a regular basis for two years and have babysat for them for four and a half years.  The times and days I work always changes each semester depending on my class schedule.  The mom I work for knew that I was stressed and was willing to let me cut back my hours depending on my class load.  However, by the time February hit, I was drowning in work and commitments.  I was afraid of quitting because I wanted to be able to work for her family as a summer job.  She was more than understanding when I told her that I couldn’t keep working during the school year and assured me that I would always have a job when I was out for the summer.

Regarding my schoolwork, my course load stays pretty much the same from semester to semester.  However, the difficulty of my classes and the time requirements changes drastically from semester to semester.  Spring 2015 has been especially gruesome.

And lastly, my involvement in clubs has put me over the edge this semester.  I hold an officer position in three clubs and am active in six organizations overall.  If I wasn’t doing homework, I was doing paperwork or planning events for the organizations I was involved in. 

Unfortunately, relationships with my family and my friends suffered.  I wasn’t good about keeping in touch with those that mattered most to me, I wasn’t taking care of myself by sleeping enough, eating right, and staying active, and, most of all, I was burnt out.  Instead of letting myself get overworked and extremely stressed, I need to quit over committing myself and accept the fact that I can’t do everything.


This semester has taught me that it is okay to say NO!

1 comment:

  1. I am right there with you. I often find myself so busy and engrossed in my work that I sometimes forget to use the word “no”. I think something I have learned from an outsider standpoint is my newfound respect for people who work during the school year. I was applying for a summer internship and several of them want me to work into the school year with reduced hours. I never really understand the time commitment until I sat down and wrote out my schedule and commitments.

    It is so easy to get caught up schoolwork, work, and clubs and forget to make time for your self. One thing I started doing this year is called “me time”. I make sure that at least once a week I find the largest time possible to set aside for me. During this time I do what I want. I do not check my email or GroupMe unless I am actually interested in what is being said. I help that these days have kept me sane and make the days that I am struggling work harder to reach that covet “me day”.

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