We’re now a few weeks into the semester and, as usual, things have picked up quickly. If you’re working on your senior design project now, like I am, then you’re especially familiar with the exponential growth of work. It can be easy to get into a rut and let other aspects of life fall by the wayside, but for the sake of experiencing the gift of each day it is especially important that everyone find their own balance.
One key aspect of dealing with your workload is confidence. A lack of confidence in your ability to succeed and get things done means you’re more likely to do it poorly or put it off until the last minute. Resources on campus like CARE and the Counseling Center advocate strategies such as time management, planning ahead, and breaking up large or daunting assignments into short segments that are easier to complete.
Along with having confidence, it is also important to be proactive about managing commitments and assignments. Learning to rise and meet each challenge head on is a great source of personal growth, and it’s good practice in general to take charge of things for which you are responsible.
Another aspect of managing the workload is giving yourself the best chance of success, which begs the question: where are you most productive? What sparks your creativity? Finding an environment that’s beneficial to you can do wonders for what you are able to accomplish and how you approach tasks. We are blessed with a massive campus full of various spaces and nooks and crannies all at our disposal. If you are not happy with the spaces you’ve carved out for yourself so far, go exploring and carve some more.
The one person who can give you the best opportunity is you. At the end of the day, you make your own decisions. By being proactive in addressing whatever obstacles or challenges come your way, you can shape forces of opposition into opportunities for growth and gain.