A common theme has emerged on this blog this summer - Graduate school is stressful.
One of the most important things an individual, who is considering or currently in graduate school, can do is learn how to manage the stress. This looks different for every person. This summer, I have made it my mission to learn how to manage my own stress and learn how I deal with stress.
First of all, I am a quiet stressor. When things get difficult, I don't want other people to know I am freaking out or stressed. What I have learned, through research on stress, is that this actually can cause a worse problem. While I get very frustrated by people who "let their stress out" and show it all over the place, these people actually are less stressed over time. According to research, when we feel stressed, our bodies are reacting to the stress which wears down our immune system. When we do not allow our bodies to get out the stress, it continues to harm our bodies. Thank goodness I have one of the greatest immune systems of all time. :) Seriously, my immune system rocks. However, it is constantly dealing with this more potent stress because I don't show it or let it out.
After learning all of this information about stress, I decided to begin building my stress management plan. This has involved a few major life changes related to scheduling and hobbies. So far, in just a month, they have made all the difference. I am still stressed, but manage it much better. One of the worst parts of stress for me is that it makes me gain weight. However, in just a month of doing these different tasks, I have lost 8 pounds! Without a ton of changes to eating. I'm telling you, this works...
Let's begin with hobbies. One of my colleagues and friends has said something numerous times to me and in the company of people not in graduate school that has truly bothered me. She has said (I'm paraphrasing), "I remember before graduate school, I used to have hobbies. Now, I can't remember what they were or what I did with my free time." The point of this statement is that graduate school is so time-consuming that it is hard to do anything else. When you did get "free time", you are usually too fried to do anything that requires brain power. As I have contemplated on this statement, I have been troubled. What did I used to do with my free time?
In all honesty, I've had a unique run in my 20s that really hasn't involved much free time. As an undergraduate student, I took 16-18 hours each semester, worked 3 part time jobs, and was a leader in (and very involved with) 3 organizations. My days started around 6:30am and ended around 11pm. Free time was spent hanging out with friends. After graduation, I worked full time as a teacher and went to school at night. Again, any free time was spent hanging out with friends. Now, well, now is much the same level of busyness.
Nonetheless, I have picked up several hobbies that I loved at one time, but got away from for one reason or another. Enjoying my time away from work and giving myself permission to love the simpler things in life has been inspiring, rejuvenating, and invigorating.
1. Pilates. I love pilates. Always have. It combines exercise with meditation and breathing. Not only am I working my body and strengthening my muscles, but it is so relaxing and calming. Pilates is all about controlling the body in movement. Also, when I get frustrated or stressed by work, I use the breathing techniques and feel calmer.
2. Music. I love music. In my home, there is always music playing in the background, but I equally love producing music. As a child I learned to play the piano, then played the flute and saxophone in middle school. When I was approaching high school, I gave up band because I wanted to play sports and take advanced courses, and my school would not allow me to do all three. I'm glad I made that choice then; however, now I am happy to reteach myself to play the instruments I loved. I saved my flute and saxophone from my parents' house and have started relearning the flute first. I can successfully play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and have already relearned how to read music (in only 2 weeks). I cannot wait to see where this takes me. It is such a joy to produce music and makes me truly happy to practice.
3. Family heritage. As I've been traveling so much, I have become more and more interested in history, which has made me more and more interested in my family history. Anytime I have ever asked someone in my family about our history, I get a few great stories then nothing. I want to answer two questions: 1. When did we originate in the United States (I'm in the mid-1800s and we haven't left Texas, so we have been here a while)? and 2. Did any of my ancestors fight in major wars? This has been a fun experiment and has given me something new to talk about with my family. Every time I see them, I have a list of questions and facts that need verifying.
4. History and Art History. I've never been one to mask my annoyance with learning history in school. However, as I mentioned, traveling has given me a new appreciation - one I wished I had as a student. I have divulged a little more into nonfiction and have been reading about American history and art history.
5. Reading Fiction. Enough said. :)
6. Playing tennis. Tennis is my favorite sport, hands down. Yes, I love football, but it doesn't compare to tennis. I played tennis for 12 years growing up and will drop everything to watch my boys play in the grand slams. One of my life bucket-list items is to attend the U.S. Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon. We shall see. To play tennis, you need another human being. Luckily, I have some friends who are eager to go play with me. But, when they aren't, I can still go to the courts, run drills, and hit serves. I usually do this with music. Again, it is great to exercise the body, but tennis is a mental game. It gives me the opportunity to practice mental energy and take a break from thinking about work.
These hobbies have filled my nights and weekends with new adventures and much more enjoyment. They are also great activities to bring other people into to enjoy. However, they are only half of the puzzle.
Now, onto scheduling. I am a very routine-oriented person. I enjoy routine and it helps me function. I have developed a new routine for working (now that I am not taking classes) that has proven very successful and given me the chance to enjoy my new hobbies at night (I get very bored with TV and the quality of programming available).
7:00-8:00 - Wake up and Pilates routine
8:00-8:30 - Walk the dog
8:30-9:15 - Get ready for the day/breakfast
9:15-12:15 - Morning Work block (dissertation)
12:15-1:00 - Lunch (away from the office)
1:00-5:00 - Afternoon Work block (collaborations, course prep, reading, personal projects, work for professors, etc.)
So far, this routine has been golden! I begin my day with centering and exercise and make the dog happy! Because I am most productive in the morning, I give this time to my most important task - dissertation. This can be any work related to the dissertation - surveys, conference presentations, statistics, write-ups, etc. Lunch away from the office is extremely important. It is important to get up, walk around, and leave the work space. During my lunch break, I run errands, read, walk the dog, or do something away from my desk while re-energizing my mind with food. The afternoon work block is devoted to everything else I need to accomplish. I use pomodoro and during the breaks, I check and respond to emails. This way, I also limit the time I spend doing this task.
Once 5pm hits, I'm done with work (except for a few special occasions) and can enjoy my nights. When I come back to work in the morning, I feel refreshed and ready to tackle my projects. Overall, I feel more productive and less stressed.
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