Question: Dear Erin,

Over Thanksgiving Break, I had so much work to get done! I felt like I had no time to relax due to my poor time management skills.  How can I make the most of the next holiday break?

Sincerely,

Student Procrastinator

Dear Student Procrastinator,

Some students have a hard time taking advantage of the time they are given off of school.  There is so much to do, even during a break, it’s hard to catch up sometimes.  In order to take advantage of your time off this holiday, a student needs to be ready to work on not only their responsibilities, but themselves as well.

First, I recommend you make a list of all of the things you need to get done over the holiday break.  This may seem overwhelming at first, but making sure you are aware of what needs to get done will help you manage your time in order to complete all of your necessary work.  The list can include anything from homework assignments that you need to prioritize to chores that need to get done before family comes over for holiday.  There is no right or wrong way of making a list, as long as it makes sense to you and will help you prioritize and manage your time.  When you complete a task, you get to cross it off of your list, which becomes very satisfying when you get into the swing of productivity.

After you have completed all of your necessary tasks, you can take the time to relax.  At first it can feel overwhelming to finally be done with everything you had to do, but now that the stress is gone, you can now focus on yourself.  Do something that makes you feel happy or calm.  For some this may be reading a book, and for others this is going out with a group of friends.  Take the time to destress and unwind.  Stress is healthy until it becomes overwhelming, which is when it becomes detrimental.  Taking this time away from all responsibilities to focus on your mental, emotional, and physical health will make you ready for when you evidently have to return to your normal schedule.  

Lastly, I recommend that the day before you go back to work or school, you prepare yourself.  Get all of the necessary items you need for the next day together.  Pack your backpack, pack a lunch, make sure that you have everything put together.  Put together a plan so that you are prepared for the next day.  Remind yourself that not only were you productive over the break, but you had enough to relax and focus on yourself.   

Sincerely,

Erin