Sunday: a day to rest? Not for me.
I start my day with work, then move on to homework, planning club meetings, exercising, grocery shopping, meal prep for the week; and, if there’s time, some social interaction.
I didn’t understand what I was feeling until I read How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Peterson. She describes “burnout” as a condition of millennials, something that has occurred not because we are “lazy” and “entitled,” but because we’ve been trained to work ourselves too hard and for as long as we can. We try to get as many internships as we can during college while balancing part-time jobs, a full-time education, and participating in clubs. Not to mention grocery shopping and meal preparation, as well as having a social life.
So much pressure is put on us these days to work harder than everyone else in order to be “the best.” We are told by society that we need to get high paying jobs in order to be successful. But what if I’m happy living a poorer life without luxurious things and selling paintings for a living? If that fulfills my passion, then that’s what I’m going to do. We shouldn’t be pressured into getting jobs that society deems as successful, like being a law firm partner, a doctor, or financial analyst. And if those are people’s passions, that’s wonderful for them. Most of us are just happier elsewhere.
My motivation lags when I have too much to do and my agenda for the day seems to go on for miles. Some people feel better physically seeing a to-do item crossed off the list (as do I), but what if that list seems like it isn’t going to end? Many students these days have too much work to do and not enough time to handle all of their responsibilities, let alone self-care. And isn’t that the opposite of what we are trying to achieve? By the time we get out of college, we just want to sleep for a year and do nothing to prepare for entering the workforce. That’s because if you’re working your butt off to earn money, attend classes, do homework, build your resume, and maintain a social life – it can get exhausting. All of the preparation we are expected to do to get “real jobs,” falls by the wayside when we have so many other things that need to get done more immediately.
I challenge you to take some time for actual self-care (such as time off not thinking about work and just having fun) this week. For example, I like to exercise, play video games, and watch television. It will help you refocus on what you need to do and give you a much-needed break from your responsibilities.
