Balancing It All

The first time I heard the phrase “work life balance” was when it was used in a semi-jokingly way during my time working as a barista for Starbucks. Our shift supervisor who was older than the rest of us baristas refused to hang out with us outside of work because of this “work life balance” she referred to. Yes, she followed the rule a bit more strictly than most but I constantly find myself calling out friends who are Constantly. Just. Working.

That probably includes you. In this day and age, we are so accustomed to being overactive and constantly busy. I know if I’m not doing something or I don’t have something planned every single day–if not every single hour–I feel bored, lazy, and like I could take on more responsibility. Besides, all of my friends have a job, two internships, a full course load, and hold multiple leadership positions on campus; how hard could it be?

That’s where we go wrong. Yes, it is obviously so important to participate in activities and clubs and internships that you enjoy and will help you grow. On the flip side, however, it’s totally okay to lay in bed all day sometimes and just watch Netflix. Or read a book. Or go to the beach. Or sit in a cafe all day. We overwork ourselves so much that we have to take advantage of our time off. Don’t stress yourself out on your day or evening off. Don’t worry that you don’t have an internship this summer (you’ll only have summer breaks for so long!).

Take time to find what makes you happy outside of your work, major, or career. Learn something new, find a hobby, or just kick back and relax. Doing this will refresh your mind and keep your passions in school and work from growing stale or becoming stressful over time. Always remember to take care of yourself!