For some people having a busy schedule can feel like they are being productive, but it can be truly detrimental to their mental and physical health. When productivity is connected to our self-worth, not having a jam-packed schedule can make people feel worthless or undeserving.

Being too busy can lead to physical, mental, and especially for students, academic burnout. As stated by Caitlin Nevins, “Too much busyness can be emotionally taxing. We may be too busy to attend to our needs, including our basic needs like eating, sleeping, and social connection,”

One way we can prevent the grueling feeling of being overwhelmed 24/7 is time management. Using a planning tool such as Google Calendar or a paper planner can help free your mind to focus on priority tasks.

Although having a planner can be extremely useful, if you forget to check it without making more plans it can become even more stressful to see all the events on the schedule.

As a student-athlete who also participates in multiple bands, the second semester is the most stressful time of the year. With finals, AP tests, big projects, spring sports, and the musical, my schedule fills up quickly and I can’t find time to focus on both my mental and physical health.

Recently I have been dedicating every Sunday as my “self-care” day. I don’t always do traditional self-care like taking a bath or painting my nails, but I sit in my bed and hang out with my cat and read.

Whether it’s having a planner/journal, giving yourself a source of motivation, or establishing goals and priorities and following through, knowing what works for you is the biggest step forward you can take to keep your schedule in check.