Despite the last couple entries being on running/races, I thought I would address something that I’ve had quite a few people ask me about in the last couple weeks- managing stress.
After running GR, I got many questions about how I manage my time and stress levels. Let’s just say that I don’t have a perfect system, but I’m working hard every day to improve. I wish I was one of those lucky people who don’t get fazed by anything and just breeze on by. NOPE. not in the least.
First off, I’m in law school. I think part of the curriculum is stress 101.
Basically.
The law school format is completely different from any type of schooling. You have no homework (although you do have required reading, that you get “cold called” about in class- and let’s just say you better be prepared. I average 30-40 pages of reading per class. I’m in 4 classes.) and then one final at the end of the semester. That final? It can be on any and everything discussed throughout the semester. Oh, and that’s your only way to get graded for the class. You don’t bring it for the final? Your GPA goes bye-bye. So just around finals, we have “reading” week- basically where you are making an outline and trying to cram as much info in your brain as possible.
None of that sounds stressful, right? Of course not!
In addition to that and running, I work part time and have a slew of volunteer boards/projects I’m on. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE doing it. But I definitely feel the pressure and sometimes like I bit off more than I can chew.
So, how do I cope?
1. Routine. I pretty much do the same thing everyday. Get up early to run, read a little before class if I have time (depends how long the run is), go to class/work, and then read when I get home. I also try to prioritize reading by class order on the weekends. Right now I’m writing a 25 page research paper for my seminar class (the only law school class where instead of a final, you have a paper. Which has it’s own set of fun stressors 😉 ), so I’m juggling that in between. BUT. I try to do the same thing without exceptions. I watch hardly any TV.
2. Prioritize. You will not have time for everything. This was very hard for me to accept at first. I wanted to get allllll the reading done. I have one class where we are on call every 4th class. I try to read for every class, but if it’s not a time where I’m on call and I am pressed for time? I skip it. Or I skim the material. Then I pay attention like mad in class and take detailed notes. You just have to accept that you have to put pressing matters first, and deal with the rest when you can.
3. That said, prioritize the right things. I did not miss ANY runs due to scheduling issues (only illness or injury prevention). Running was not only important for me because I was training for a marathon- it is also my stress relief. I feel the most sane when my running schedule is consistent. I made running almost like a class schedule- it HAD to get done. I also made sleep a priority. I need sleep to function. I would rather get up early to read, and find time throughout the day to finish reading, than stay up late and miss sleep. In addition, if I missed social events or something like that, I didn’t really mind. Missing a few social events was much less important than missing a run or sleep.
4. Reach out to people. I have many friends at school that are in the same boat, and we help keep each other on track. I tend to not discuss when I am feeling stressed (I withdraw, don’t know why, but it’s just something I do). But I do reach out to others who I feel may be having a hard time. For me, sometimes helping someone else cope reminds me that I also shouldn’t be so hard on myself.
5. Speaking of being hard on yourself, know when to give yourself a break. Law school is a huge part of my life right now but it is not my WHOLE life. Sometimes you have to let your brain shut down, curl up with your boo and relax for a couple hours. Even if it means you miss a couple pages of reading. I have had probably 3 instances this semester where I just stopped what I was doing and laid around with Nate. While I may have not been the most productive, my emotional sanity was more important.
6. Cry, accept where you are, and move on. I don’t typically cry very much (as a child, I was taught that it was a sign of weakness), but sometimes I feel the pressure mount and a few fleeting tears fall. Sometimes I wish I was in a period that I didn’t have a zillion obligations. I allow myself to be angry, feel sorry for myself, whatever the emotion is, for a few minutes… and then I move on. I remind myself why I’m doing whatever it is and that this moment of time is only temporary.
7. Find reasons to be grateful. When I am feeling low or stressed, I try to count all the things I am grateful for. I start to realize that I am much luckier than I am stressed.
Basically, when I feel negative feelings set in, I try to counter them with positive ones. I make small, manageable goals (finish criminal procedure reading, then you can take a break and read admin law tomorrow- that kind of thing).
It is not always fun doing as much as I am doing right now. As a matter of fact, just today, as I was driving home from work I felt so angry about what I still have left to do. But I realize that this is only temporary. I have 1.5 weeks left of class, and then it’s time to prep for exams. Next semester, I plan to have a lighter load (I took more credits this semester than I needed), and I use that a motivation to get through this semester now.
It’s really just about how you face a situation. If you think negatively and feel like you can’t do it, you won’t. How you respond to an event changes it all. And ultimately, I am so grateful to have all the opportunities I currently have, and welcome the new ones on their way.
But I’ll be pretty happy for a break in a few as well 😉
get2fit2quit 