Mariko Garrett is a journalism freshman and Mustang News opinion columnist. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Picture this: it’s 11:50 p.m. You’re panicking. You’re only halfway done with a midterm essay that’s due at 11:59. Then you wonder how you got yourself to this point.
Could it have been the 6 a.m. leg day session? How about the two-hour group study at Kennedy Library? Was it the three classes you had today because you chose to take 20 units this quarter? Or was it the five-hour shift at the on-campus part-time job you recently got hired to?
Whether it was your unwavering drive to be an academic weapon or your plan to be a millionaire by 25, one thing is obvious for people who face this dilemma: you are likely struggling with balance.
While having extreme discipline and an excruciatingly packed schedule might help you inch ahead now, balancing preparation and rest helps you avoid burnout in the long run.
Based on my observations, there are two kinds of college students when it comes to a work-life balance. The first student knows how to manage different aspects of their lives by simply not stressing over things if they don’t go as planned. The second type is the student who cannot let anything go off kilter. This type loves the concept of being “disciplined” all the time.
There is nothing inherently wrong with discipline. In fact, discipline in some cases, such as getting daily movement or going to bed early, can be quite beneficial. Having certain habits and routines that are reasonable can provide structure in your day-to-day life, keep your conscience clear and help you to feel healthier mentally and physically.
But with the rise of certain ideologies, like the “grindset,” discipline becomes a facade for something deeper and more extreme. Seeing those who are supposedly “put together” at all times may cause us to push ourselves beyond our limits to mirror them. And these extremes become detrimental when we don’t allow ourselves to balance parts of our lives that need to be controlled with parts of our lives that can be practiced freely.
A common example of constant discipline leading to burnout is when college students sacrifice having fun to work towards a future plan. It is an admirable goal to want to become a doctor or a multimillionaire CEO. However, if you risk having fun with friends or exploring new hobbies whilst working towards these goals, you also risk burning yourself out. By the time you get to this career, you will be so burnt out that you won’t be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Not to mention, having fun and interacting with people who have shared interests is one of the best parts of being in college. Besides your time at college, there will be very few occasions in life where you can have the same opportunity to find your people. Yes, grinding now has the potential to set you up for success down the road, but is it really worth the expense of your college experience beyond academics?
So, contrary to the phrase that adults like to say, “It all goes downhill from here, so have fun now,” you should have fun now and balance fun with steps towards your future goals. This way, you can still have fun once you’ve reached that dream career or goal. But how can we do so as college students?
First, it’s important to imagine what balance might look like for you personally. If you’re particularly focused on your future career, you can dedicate a few hours in the day to your academics and related extracurriculars, then a couple to spending time with your friends. Maybe the weekends should look more like taking one full day to avoid academics completely and meeting new people at social events instead of straining your eyes to finish your Quizlet.
I personally struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). My OCD often causes me to feel a severe need for control over my life. At times, if I don’t exercise for as long as I planned, if I fail to complete the assignments I wanted to get done by a certain time or if I can’t make it to a club meeting, I feel myself become stressed. I get tempted to yank my hair out. But I ultimately have to remind myself that I am only human.
So, what are the mental shifts you can make to live a more balanced life? Here are three that have helped me:
- Accept imperfection – things will not always go the way you want them to, and that is okay. That’s life.
- Enjoy having fun while also keeping your future goals in mind – you don’t always need to be spending time working towards a future career or a fitness goal.
- Do what makes you feel good – if going downtown sounds more appealing than studying all Saturday night, do so. Don’t push yourself to constantly be “on.”
As humans, we have wild expectations for ourselves to be perfect. However, it is also important that we are able to remember that we are also imperfectly human. And imperfection is the key to finding balance in your life.
So take a deep breath. Don’t worry too much about the bad grade. Don’t lose sleep if you aren’t seeing the results you want in the gym. Sure, you can’t be perfect, but no one else can either.
Being imperfect yet balanced is so much more precious than being so disciplined that you burn out.