Opinion piece by Bri Ryerson, Wellness Operations Intern

Brianna Ryerson is currently a senior at North Carolina State University studying Biological Sciences with a concentration in Human Biology and a minor in Psychology. She has always been passionate about Psychology, more specifically, how Psychology relates to mental health and the destigmatization of mental health and wellbeing especially for women in STEM-related fields. These fields of study produce a lot of stress, anxiety, and burnout, therefore Bri wants to do everything she can to make sure their needs are met and their voices are heard!

No one’s life is always perfectly in order. We all have our chaotic days, weeks, and months, where burnout and exhaustion can get the best of us. No matter what our occupation is or how we structure our time, sometimes chaos is inevitable. But how do we manage this chaos? How do we take time for ourselves? Setting aside time to slow down and truly take care of ourselves slips down our list of priorities when we are busy. This is why I have decided to put together a small list of things I do to help me slow down that don’t require a complete schedule change. 

Food

Next time you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, do not hesitate to treat yourself. Whether that is cooking your favorite meal or ordering comfort food from your favorite takeout spot, give yourself something small to look forward to. 

While eating, also take the time to be intentional with your meal. Use this time to destress, shift your focus from the chaos of the day to the meaningful break you are taking to have this meal. I personally enjoy de-stressing during a meal by watching a Netflix show or movie. Find something that you look forward to, whether that is reading, online shopping, watching T.V., or just enjoying your surroundings, and implement that into your meal time. Sometimes it’s the small breaks during a chaotic day that make it possible to push through. 

Self-Care

I know this one sounds vague and generic. However, it is one of the most important parts of our everyday routine that easily gets left behind when things get chaotic. Setting aside an hour or even thirty minutes a day to do something you truly enjoy can really help minimize the feeling of stress and being overwhelmed. 

This may look like reading, taking a long shower or bubble bath, doing an in-depth skincare routine, meditating, or even watching a movie. The best part of self-care is that it is so personalized to you. Self-care looks different for every single person and it is so important that we take these moments to reflect and replenish our energy. 

Sleep

This one is my personal favorite. I used to be the student who would never sleep. My friends knew I would be pulling an all-nighter before an exam in the library and I would stay up into the early hours of the morning trying to get assignments done. I soon realized that the lack of sleep was not putting me ahead, instead it was holding me back. I was constantly exhausted, sick, stressed, anxious, and felt entirely overwhelmed. 

Ever since I have made this realization, I have learned that sleep is the most powerful tool in our arsenal that we (mostly) have control over. A good night's sleep is going to propel you further than any all-nighter will. Making sure we are intentional about when we sleep and making sure we are nurturing our bodies can really help calm the feeling of chaos and stress. 

Sometimes it can be easy to let our mental and physical health decline when we are overwhelmed and stressed. However, to get ourselves out of the chaos, we need to put our health first. Taking intentional breaks throughout the day and making sure we are nurturing our bodies through sleep and food is essential in beating the chaos of life and making sure that we are putting our best foot forward every single day. 

****

Project Passport is a proactive mental wellness company that aims to bring mental wellness retreats, workshops and other services to company teams. We also help individuals create joy in their lives every step of the way. To learn more about our company retreats and services, click here. Our travel retreats will resume in the future as the world reopens.