Work Life Balance
Moderators: Chem_Mod, Chem_Admin
-
- Posts: 114
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:52 pm
Work Life Balance
I often find it extremely hard to maintain a solid work-life balance and exercise my mind and body, as Dr. Lavelle advises us to do. I struggle with this because of the amount of work and anxiety I constantly have with being home and going to several zoom sessions. What do you guys recommend to do to ensure that I am still taking care of my mental health, while also being able to succeed in my classes?
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:49 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
Hi Anil! I'm sorry to hear about your struggles but I totally understand :( I think one piece of advice I can offer is to find a hobby you can enjoy doing at home that makes you relaxed and happy! Also, if you can, try to separate your work/school area from the area you relax in. Hope this helps!
-
- Posts: 114
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:42 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally understand what you mean! It's so hard to find time for ourselves especially because most of us are always stuck at home. I agree with what the person said above. Make sure to find a hobby where you can destress from school work. I usually do random art activities because it's easy to forget about school.
-
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:38 pm
- Been upvoted: 2 times
Re: Work Life Balance
this might seem weird but i hate live zooms so i go to the least amount possible. i only go to live discussions for my classes if theyre required and live lectures for the information but anything other than that (optional discussions, workshops/study spaces, etc) i just never go to. for me this helps a lot because a lot my stress comes from zoom and normally i find that i do better studying on my own anyway.
also i force myself to put school on the back burner some times. seems counterintuitive but i purposely do other things that i enjoy (going on runs, going out for grocery shopping or whatever, etc) first because i know that i will still get my school things done in the end. if i did school first, i would drag it out and it would take up all my time and i would never get other things outside of school done.
the last thing that i have found that helps the most is setting a schedule of some sort. i would sleep until noon every day if i could but that makes me inefficient and sluggish so ive found that by waking up early (8am for me) i feel a lot better throughout the day and feel much more efficient. watch your lectures the day they are assigned and it makes you feel so much better and not behind. a lot of the stress from online school i think comes from being overwhelmed with material which is partly because a lot of people fail to space it out accordingly so i think setting a schedule/to-do list for each day really helps
know that you're definitely not alone and hope this helps!
also i force myself to put school on the back burner some times. seems counterintuitive but i purposely do other things that i enjoy (going on runs, going out for grocery shopping or whatever, etc) first because i know that i will still get my school things done in the end. if i did school first, i would drag it out and it would take up all my time and i would never get other things outside of school done.
the last thing that i have found that helps the most is setting a schedule of some sort. i would sleep until noon every day if i could but that makes me inefficient and sluggish so ive found that by waking up early (8am for me) i feel a lot better throughout the day and feel much more efficient. watch your lectures the day they are assigned and it makes you feel so much better and not behind. a lot of the stress from online school i think comes from being overwhelmed with material which is partly because a lot of people fail to space it out accordingly so i think setting a schedule/to-do list for each day really helps
know that you're definitely not alone and hope this helps!
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:10 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally understand how you feel- I feel like with online school and covid, I'm constantly just doing work every day. I have found that having some sort of routine really helps me spend a certain amount of time working so I can take regular breaks. Like others have said, if you have some sort of hobby that you can find time to do, it is a good use of breaks because you can do something you really enjoy. Also, getting fresh air or getting out of the house some way (covid safe of course) can be really refreshing and always makes me feel more productive. Hope this helps!
-
- Posts: 110
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:54 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally agree!! one thing I've been doing recently to help counteract this a little bit is doing anything that doesn't involve a screen during my breaks between zoom calls. On days where I have a lot of classes back to back, I try to just take a break from screens, including my phone or TV, and go for a walk, make some food, or read a book. Even if it's only 15 minutes sometimes, it's a much-needed rest period for me. I know how easy it can be to just go on your phone as a way to relax but I highly recommend trying this if you're experiencing zoom fatigue :)
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:00 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally know how you feel! One thing I am trying to do is write in a journal. It really helps me just vent all my struggles and clear my mind. I really recommend it.
-
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:04 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
One of the things that made school easier (when in person) was having a routine. And so I began applying the same thing at home. Sometimes I feel so unmotivated and some days are harder than others to get out of bed. But by slowly setting up a routine, it's like I have something to do and a reason to do it. I know the pressure of getting things done can be overwhelming, so I make sure to leave time free to do things I enjoy as a way to ease my mind. Kind of like a reward.
-
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:38 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally understand where you are coming from! I usually make sure that I am rewarding myself at the end of the day. For instance, as a reward for working the whole day, I would watch an episode or two of my favorite show and making sure that I always get at least 7-8 hours of sleep everyday!!
-
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:19 am
Re: Work Life Balance
I feel the same way some days! One thing that really helps me is having a routine for my day. I give myself a certain number of hours to do school work and lectures, but I also make sure to schedule a part of my day to exercise, talk to my my friends, or watch something on TV. Having both school and more fun things as a part of my daily schedule makes me feel more accomplished and less stressed at the end of each day.
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:10 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I feel you! If you feel you can, I've found that Soul Cycle has been really beneficial in helping me mentally and physically. Classes are only 45 min (covid safe) and includes mental healing during the workout! Would definitely recommend looking into it
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:38 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally understand how you feel. I've been struggling just like everyone else has. After all this time of Zoom classes and video lectures, I've found that taking a small walk outside 2-3 times a day. I've also started to read books more (I try to read one new book every month), working out, and painting :)
-
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:43 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
Hey, I totally understand this sentiment. Last quarter I didn't treat myself well at all and it was extraordinarily hard to self-motivate. I've been trying to be more disciplined by training myself with work timers and accepting I can't get every single thing done on my todo list. I'm also spending some more time online on Discord calls with friends and having the "presence" of my loved ones makes it almost easier to get work done when we are "together." That kind of efficiency is making it easier for me to get a little more work done and also allocate time to go on walks, play online games, or spend more time with family. Just incorporating more friends and family into my daily life hasn't made the work go away, but even though I'm an introvert, it's a little easier on the mental. I hope you feel well soon my friend!
-
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 3:03 am
Re: Work Life Balance
Hi! I can totally relate, its definitely easy to get overwhelmed by school/work and let the anxiety take over. I usually find that planning my weeks and what I need to do ahead of time helps immensely. It helps me stay one top of my priorities and make sure I get them done while finding time to relax/get active/do an activity I like. I would highly recommend doing a stress free activity a few times a week to get your mind off of things.
-
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:55 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I am truly sorry you're going through this and I personally relate, but my advice would be to try out a new hobby that you haven't dealt with! I think that trying new things out has been really helpful for grounding because it gives you something to look forward to after a hectic schedule. I think an old hobby would also work, especially if it's something you truly enjoy!
-
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:54 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I've also been feeling the same struggle especially this quarter. I've found it especially hard to not procrastinate when stressed out, but I think something that helps is using a planner or calendar to plan out my day and when I can take time to have fun.
-
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:11 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
Hi!
I definitely relate to what you're going through right now. I'm struggling a lot too, but I'll share what I do to try and stay healthy and productive.
First of all, I plan out my week in a bullet journal, and I try to be as detailed as possible on what I want to do each day. I also have a job, so I plan my free time around that. I exercise mostly on the weekends where I can spend an extended amount of time doing what I want without worrying about my energy for later. But, during the week, I usually just go on runs when I can to clear my mind.
The most helpful thing for me to do is journal though. I journal whenever I feel like I need to vent or release stress, and I highly recommend this to everyone because it is so therapeutic and one of my favorite pass times.
I know online college is hard itself, but adding the rest of life on top of that makes things even harder. Just remember to take it easy on yourself, and remember that you're only human too. Be kind to yourself, you can do this! <3
I definitely relate to what you're going through right now. I'm struggling a lot too, but I'll share what I do to try and stay healthy and productive.
First of all, I plan out my week in a bullet journal, and I try to be as detailed as possible on what I want to do each day. I also have a job, so I plan my free time around that. I exercise mostly on the weekends where I can spend an extended amount of time doing what I want without worrying about my energy for later. But, during the week, I usually just go on runs when I can to clear my mind.
The most helpful thing for me to do is journal though. I journal whenever I feel like I need to vent or release stress, and I highly recommend this to everyone because it is so therapeutic and one of my favorite pass times.
I know online college is hard itself, but adding the rest of life on top of that makes things even harder. Just remember to take it easy on yourself, and remember that you're only human too. Be kind to yourself, you can do this! <3
Re: Work Life Balance
Hey,
I wanted to comment on this because this is a situation I resonant with and one that I'm sure a lot of people in college have been unfortunately experiencing during the pandemic. Honestly, the biggest thing that helped me is having a routine, and writing down my assignments on a planner ( I use the one UCLA sent us at the start of the year). Waking up at the same time everyday has given me much more structure to my weeks. I try to wake up at that same time during the weekends too. Also I keep a big bottle of water next to me on my desk because otherwise I don't find that I drink enough.
One suggestion I have is to plan your classes with a decent amount of time to eat breakfast in the morning, and lunch in the evening. The worst thing you can be doing is skipping meals because of early or class after each other with no breaks. We have your back and I hope some small changes can start to brighten up your day! Take care of yourself!
I wanted to comment on this because this is a situation I resonant with and one that I'm sure a lot of people in college have been unfortunately experiencing during the pandemic. Honestly, the biggest thing that helped me is having a routine, and writing down my assignments on a planner ( I use the one UCLA sent us at the start of the year). Waking up at the same time everyday has given me much more structure to my weeks. I try to wake up at that same time during the weekends too. Also I keep a big bottle of water next to me on my desk because otherwise I don't find that I drink enough.
One suggestion I have is to plan your classes with a decent amount of time to eat breakfast in the morning, and lunch in the evening. The worst thing you can be doing is skipping meals because of early or class after each other with no breaks. We have your back and I hope some small changes can start to brighten up your day! Take care of yourself!
-
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:37 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally agree with you and often find myself feeling the same way. Some things that I do is take it a day at a time and spread out my work in digestible portions that won’t leave me feeling drained. I also keep a journal and sometimes walk around the room during a zoom lecture, it keeps my body awake and flowing and allows me to refocus (especially if I’ve been sitting in a lecture for a while).
-
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:55 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
Hi! I can definitely relate- I feel like it's easy to feel overwhelmed especially when all our classes are over zoom and we're doing work online for majority of the day. I really like what Connie said about purposefully sectioning off times where you aren't focused on school, because setting time limits for yourself for each assignment can be super valuable. Since we don't physically have to be anywhere, it can be easy to spend longer than necessary on assignments, but we also have to make sure we're actively focusing on things we enjoy doing too!
-
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:38 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally get where your coming from. I think if you can try to set aside one hour a day at least just dedicated to doing the things that you like and try to spread work/school throughout the day so you don't feel so burned out during the day.
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:00 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
Hey there! I'm sorry to hear that; I also find myself struggling to find a good balance that won't negatively affect my studies and my social life. However, I believe it's all little easy things that you can do to make sure your mental and physical health are getting taken care of! First things first: always drink water. It's easy to get lost in studying or whatever you're occupied with so I always make sure that I have water next to me at all times. More than that, I hope you can give yourself little breaks between assignments and classes! The back and forth between different classes and sitting in the same spot all the time is super tiring, so make sure you're giving yourself time to relax! I hope this helps you out!
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:09 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
-
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:33 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I feel the same way. I've found planning out my work schedule including breaks and journaling my feelings in a stream of consciousness way helps a lot with balance. Doing something I enjoy for some time in between each assignment or class has also helped bring down my overall stress level. Don't feel guilty for having fun or relaxing because we all deserve it (as long as it's safe lol) !
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:41 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
What honestly works for me is what Dr. Lavelle recommends: taking the time to exercise. Taking the time to focus on that allows me to clear my mind and reset. Hope this helps!
-
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:56 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I completely relate to this! I think as hard as it is, try to incorporate some healthy habits to keep our mental wellness in check, like listening to music, going in walks, or reading books. Hope this gets better!
-
- Posts: 117
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:44 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I really try to balance out studies and other hobbies that aren't related to school or my major subject. I think it is important to remember to do things just because you enjoy them sometimes too, not just because you feel like you are required to. Get outside a little bit, get some plants or other easy to maintain things around that you that only need a little bit of attention a day so that you have something to pull you out a school only mindset for a few minutes in between breaks. I'm a science major, but in my free time I like painting and sketching, or listening/playing music. I may not be great at all of those things, but I enjoy the mental break from textbooks!
Re: Work Life Balance
It can definitely be hard to balance work and school. I recommend making a google calendar and putting all your classes and study hours in then schedule little self-care hours in between everything. Taking some time for yourself and healing your mental health is more important than any assignment.
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:15 am
Re: Work Life Balance
I like to do all my work the weekdays so that during the weekend I can do nothing and just take a break for 2 days.
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:33 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
As many others said, I completely agree. I feel like work is creeping into every part of my day and no matter what I don’t have the time, energy, and motivation to go outside and do new things. Despite having much more time and being less busy thanks to quarantine, I’m still struggling to find that balance. One thing that helps is doing things with someone else: set goals to work out, or go outside, or learn something new. Have a partner: maybe a family member or a friend to do it with. This allows you to keep each other accountable, and it feels much less daunting than doing it on your own.
-
- Posts: 141
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:37 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
One recommendation I have to make work/school time seem less exhausting to periodically take a short break to watch an episode of a show you are watching. A general rule you could follow is 40 minutes of studying followed up with one ~20-minute episode. Rinse and repeat. Doing this can also motivate you to spread your studying out over a longer period of time rather than cramming.
-
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:03 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
I think the balance between work, school, and social interactions is very very difficult to manage. I am definitely not the representation of a perfect balance, but I normally try to watch the lectures the day Lavelle posts them (and for all my other classes to stay on top of lectures and go to every one) and do homework in the morning as well. I work night shifts, so I come home at 10 pm and have no more energy for homework. So when I leave it to that point, I screw myself over entirely. And on the days which I don't have work, I go out with my bestfriend or boyfriend and hang out at night. As for working out, I need to work on that but I go biking in the afternoons where I don't have work for hours.
-
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2020 12:31 am
- Been upvoted: 2 times
Re: Work Life Balance
This might sound really stressful, but I find that it actually decreases my stress personally. I plan out each week, deciding what I am going to accomplish every day, and on particular days where it seems like I have a lot to get done, I plan out every hour and incorporate breaks here and there. It really helps keep me on track, plus if you incorporate specific times to exercise and relax within your schedule, maintaining a work-life balance is not very hard to do. I know that some people don't like planning out every hour of their day because they don't think it's effective and are worried that they can't get the work done in the allocated time, but I find the opposite to be true: if you allocate a specific amount of time to completing a task, it gives you more urgency to complete it within the frame of your schedule and this helps you avoid procrastination and get a good amount of sleep as well.
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:04 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I totally understand, it's so hard to find a good balance! For me, the best way is to come up with a routine and realistic goals of what I hope to accomplish every day academically. I also think it's helpful to find hobbies/non-school related things to work into your schedule, and those give you something to look forward to every day. For example, I always take about an hour or so a day to go outside and walk my dogs and then I try to relax and watch some tv or read a book typically after dinner. I've found that this keeps me motivated throughout the day because I know I need to be focused while studying so I can have the time to relax and go outside.
-
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:33 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I honestly complete understand what you are going through. I definitely feel the same way. I feel like I am constantly working and can barely make time for myself or to do something fun or relaxing for myself. I am currently trying to create that balance though. I think something that I am going to try to do in the upcoming weeks is set aside one day where I let myself relax. I am thinking to make that day Friday. I will finish Friday's work which is usually not that much for me because I don't have any in person lectures that day. After completing all necessary work, I will try to do things that relax me. For myself that would be spending time with my family or relaxing as I do my nails.
-
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:38 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
Hi! My biggest advice is to make sure you get a good amount of sleep every night! I find that the days where I get less sleep than normal are more difficult to get through, and I find myself spacing out a lot. Other than sleep, making sure that you're not constantly doing homework or work for classes all day, and giving yourself sufficient breaks to do something you enjoy or take a walk!
-
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:49 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I recommend planning to finish your work each day right before office hours. I feel more motivated to do my work when I know that if I get stuck I can get help right away. I also recommend following guided meditations on Youtube for example to help clear your mind for 15 minutes because those really help me calm down when I feel like I have a lot of work to do. I think it's also important to set aside time for just one activity to do at night or throughout the day, like reading, going on a walk, watching shows/calling friends so that you force yourself to take a break from school/work because it can give you something to look forward to.
-
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:34 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
One of the things I've started doing is taking a break in the evenings to do something relaxing, no matter how much more work I have left to do. I enjoy watching an episode of a TV show or playing a game. This is a good way to relax for a bit after a long day of studying and to remind yourself that there are other things in life other than school :)
-
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:52 pm
Re: Work Life Balance
I think setting realistic goals for the day would truly be helpful. If you think an assignment would be a lot of work, start immediately and divide the task into small sections before the deadline. Spacing out your learning can really help you feel less stressed. Also, when you're doing work avoid distractions and focus on the task itself. By doing so, this will leave you with more leisure hours.
I agree with everyone. I think giving yourself breaks or "reitoff" days are important. Doing something you love can recharge your brain :)
I agree with everyone. I think giving yourself breaks or "reitoff" days are important. Doing something you love can recharge your brain :)
-
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2020 12:18 am
Re: Work Life Balance
I definitely feel the same. One of the way's I've been able to combat this is just planning everything out as well as possible, and setting little goals as well as little breaks for myself. The Pomodoro technique can be useful as well! Don't overwork yourself. Wishing you the best!
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:03 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
Although it may sound counterintuitive, prioritize sleep, exercise, and good nutrition over studying! When your body is functioning optimally, you can focus better and will be able to absorb and recall information far more efficiently! Stay strong and know that you aren't alone.
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:03 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
Sam_Marasigan_3D wrote:I think setting realistic goals for the day would truly be helpful. If you think an assignment would be a lot of work, start immediately and divide the task into small sections before the deadline. Spacing out your learning can really help you feel less stressed. Also, when you're doing work avoid distractions and focus on the task itself. By doing so, this will leave you with more leisure hours.
I agree with everyone. I think giving yourself breaks or "reitoff" days are important. Doing something you love can recharge your brain :)
"Reitoff" days are my saving grace. They are so helpful and necessary more than ever with online learning!
-
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:18 am
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
I agree that finding time for oneself is incredibly important. It gets so overwhelming, and sometimes just watching tv, or doing a hobby can make a really big difference. I know it's hard especially given the pandemic, but I do try to get some fresh air when possible since zoom fatigue is real.
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:48 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
Hi Anil! One thing that might help if to do your work after classes outside of your bedroom! Maybe in your living room or kitchen, just to be around lively people maybe, but that does sometimes distract you more lol. I try to take a break every couple of hours to maybe relax and pet my cat, but it's just best to make sure you aren't spending the whole day at your desk.
-
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:39 pm
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: Work Life Balance
I like to break up my exercise over the course of the day :) Going for a walk in the morning before my first class, running after lunch, and/or working out after dinner (each for short periods of time) makes it more manageable, especially on days when I have a lot to do or a lot of classes to attend. While it might be hard to find 1-2 isolated hours to work out/get fresh air, finding 15-20 minutes every couple hours is much easier!
Return to “Student Social/Study Group”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests