Final Papers

 Welcome to 4th year, first semester.I'm swamped with final papers, group projects (do they ever end?!!!) and MSW applications. Things are going okay for now.

I have been sleeping less lately and eating poorly. I find the hour to be extra LOUD lately, but that might just be because I'm cranky and have started to hone in and yell at anyone that is making any noise (I live with a drummer and two guitarists, and they hold jams at the house weekly... and TAP, they TAP and shake and whistle too often!).

I haven't been able to make time for swimming hours in what seems like a month, at least. I haven't been to the gym except to work. I sign in, pass the machines whistfully while promising myself that I'll join a class next semester, and continue to my office. The office that now has a virus-infected computer. Boo :( (Not my fault, promise!)

I have been fitting in exercise in small ways. I have been on the bike trainer for a few study breaks. I walk to and from placement 2x week. I also walk to my volunteer shift downtown (40 mins), once a week. The main reason for this is that the bus prices have recently gone up, and I don't feel particularly inclined to spend $5 on a two-way trip if I have the time (and the need) to walk there :)
I also got an outdoor 5k done this week, BOOM.

I plan to finally be able to completely relax in 2 weeks. In which time I will hopefully make my way to the gym MORE often, aside from being paid to be there.
Looking forward to a little break! Stay happy everyone :)

All or Nothing

I've been very, very busy the past two weeks. And I will continue to be busy for a while.
I don't know when it happened, but I noticed recently that my day-to-day planner is packed with things. It's so packed, that when I had to find a two-hour time slot for radio phone-answering volunteering, I couldn't find a consecutive 2hours to donate.
How did this happen??

Well, I'm not sure... In an incident in class on Monday, I opened my mouth to offer help to another student group that was missing a person, and only after I said it, I realised that I was too busy to be in ANOTHER group. (Things did work out for that group!.) I've noticed this a lot lately. I will think I'm free and offer to help/volunteer/step in and then remember that my planner is packed and I'll likely screw things up if I offer any help.

I have:

• school (=3 regular courses)
• a field placement and a practicum course
• community volunteering
• VISA executive duties
• a part-time job
• co-hosting duties for a half-hour radio show
• and a LOT of group assignments.

And I'll have to add volunteering at the Sudanese Centre in the near future, because my Saturdays were too free so I offered to help out with a kid's program.....


The point here is not to bitch about how busy I am and how rushed I feel. Because I don't feel too rushed, and I've been organized enough to feel calm, rather than stressed. Whenever an hour comes up and I have nothing to do, I seem to jump on the computer to (check email) check facebook, read blogs and research interesting things (such as the World hitting 7 billion people, and this site). I have been slacking a tiny bit at the gym and at class readings (only this week, don't worry).

So the point is that it's not all or nothing. I don't have to be 100% busy every day to keep myself entertained. I don't have to do nothing (aka watching TV) when I'm free. I can be productive, useful AND entertained all in one. So whenever the next free hour comes along, I might head to the gym. I might read another chapter for a class. Because all the little things will add up to SOMETHING, and I won't forever be in the limbo of the mindset that is 'all or nothing'.

This morning, I fit in 2 running miles after a meeting with my boss, and between a meeting with a prof. Between meetings and classes today, I ran errands or read a Crisis textbook. I'm slowly learning to USE my free time in small ways that add up, which will eventually help future me feel less stressed, rushed, and silly :)