To-do is Not an Aesthetic Word

Stressed? Me too.

Photo Credit: studygram via tumblr.com

My to-do list for school seems never ending. And if I'm lucky enough to find myself away from academic to-dos, I find myself faced with a new stress. Like staring at a pile of laundry that probably weighs more than I do, that I could wash. But then who knows how long it'd be left in the washing machine to wrinkle and grow mold? Ew.

My point is that I am extremely  s t r e s s e d.

And I have a slight inkling that I'm not alone...

So, what do you do when you have too many to-dos? I have a few ideas for my fellow stress-freaks.

1. Pray. It's very easy to look at a gigantic to-do list and be overwhelmed. But God is bigger than every to-do on that list (yes, Amy, including the ACT). He is also overwhelmingly generous with His peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed upon you." So, when the to-do list monster seems too big to handle, just stop and pray for peace.  A large to-do list is easier to tackle if you go into it with a level-head and peaceful heart.

2. Load up on caffeine. Coffee is mandatory to every late night study session. Chai tea is a blessing that grants focus and patience and kindness. Dr. Pepper is a bubbly treat that makes every annoying task you push to the weekend seem happy and wonderful. Whatever your drink preference, caffeine makes any pesky to-do seem manageable. WARNING: if you drink your morning coffee before your body wakes up naturally, the tired-crash will be worse when the caffeine leaves your system. So save the daily caffeine drinking for last in your morning routine.

3. Exercise. I started working out daily for my psychology project and, with two days of experience under my belt, I can attest to the theory that exercise wakes you up. If you start to loose focus on tasks, take a break and exercise. It'll help you refocus and feel refreshed.

4. Include a non-negotiable incentive in your evening routine (I recommend Netflix and yummy snacks with a side of fluffy blankets and pillows). The non-negotiable aspect of this is super important. If you let your progress on tasks control whether or not you get that relaxing incentive, you'll develop a hatred for tasks as soon as you miss "you time". If it's 9:00 pm and that's when your relaxing incentive begins, move any left-over to-dos to the next day. This way you start your day with the knowledge that, come fire or rain, you will have that special relaxation period at the end of the day.

Those are my recommendations for dealing with stress. I would love to hear yours-- leave your suggestions in the comments!

Side rant: I really wanted to title this "what to do when you have too many to-dos", but to and do are very unaesthetically pleasing words. Hence, the title I chose instead.