The Love Depository

Make a playlist or list of songs that put your mind into a peaceful state. This won’t get rid of all of your anxiety, it definitely won’t get rid of your worries, but it will make it unbelievably bearable. 

Listen to it whenever you’re about to have an anxiety attack, are having an anxiety attack, or just feeling particularly jittery/anxious/scared. 

Update it regularly. 

Your meds? Assuming you have anxiety medication, do NOT have a set time to take it. Do NOT have a set situation to take it. Take it when YOU- not anyone else -thinks you’ll need it. 

You’re your own self. If you think you can get through the day without it, then go ahead. And if it doesn’t work out, lesson learned. But you know your limits. Take it if you’re having an anxiety attack over having too much homework. Take it if you spill your last cup of coffee. Take it if you texted a friend and they haven’t answered yet. Just take it when you need it. 

Create a playlist of songs or videos that make you feel confident, or happy, or both. For me, I’d have Still Breathing by Mayday Parade, and Onision’s Proudtobe video. That’s just a very small example. 

Listen to the playlist whenever you’ve hit a low, or are feeling particularly quiet. ((Disclaimer: Feeling “quiet”- The name I’ve given to the feeling when you aren’t numb, only feeling on a very very subtle level. You aren’t sad, but you’re not exactly there right now. Very close to lethargy but not quiet -is not always a bad thing. Revel in it if you need to.)) Just listen to it when you need it. 

Cry. 

It really is okay. And not just a few tears. Sob. If you feel it coming, don’t stop it. Sob on your way to school, in the car. Sob so hard you can’t breathe while you do your homework. Cry yourself to sleep. You need it. It’s not weak. You’re simply disposing of baggage. You need to cry. 

To do lists. To do overall, to do today, to do this weekend. Whatever works for you. But if you’re afraid of forgetting something, or you don’t want to let someone down, make a to do list and high light priorities. You can highlight your homework assignment due by Friday, you can highlight messaging your friend back, you can highlight editing chapter five. 

Let people know. 

Let people know, straight up, that you do care. You’re just tired. And you love listening to them talk but you can’t find it in yourself to talk back. Explain that conversations make you tired. Explain you’re feeling very overwhelmed. But please, just tell somebody. 

“We all have problems. Ones that won’t matter by dinner time and ones that will haunt us for the rest of our lives.” –Just a Spark by SkeneKidz on Wattpad. 

Remember it. Memorise it. Write it on your arm, your notebook, your walls, your homework assignments. Recite it in your head. Recite it. For me, it’s “I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone.” It’s everywhere in my life, and I will never forget it, because I am still here because of it. Find your it. It’s out there. 

Breathe. 

And message me if you need a single thing. 

Message me if you need to talk. 

To rant. 

Advice. 

Whatever you need

I will do my best. 

You are beautiful. You are valuable. You are beloved. You are worth it. You are important. You are unforgettable. You are unique. You are you, and that is something to be proud of, no matter what you’re thinking or feeling or what you’ve been told.

Find stillness and quiet. Meditation is worth the time.

Go for a walk. Not with an aim, just take a wander. 

Eat well. That means eat enough, and eat the good stuff.

Create ‘time cushions’. Don’t have an over-stuffed calendar

Stop saying “I should be….”

Visualize the best-case scenario instead of the worst-case

Identify what triggers your stress, write it down.

Shut the computer off, turn off the phone. 

Experience classical music

Watch comedy. I personally recommend Whose Line. 

See a friend, spend time not thinking about the rest of life

Make something. Paper airplane? Sure. Full-scale wall mural? Sure.

Take up a new hobby

Challenge yourself to have a new experience every day

Explore your city

Create a relaxation space, and fill it with things you like

Have a hot bath and invest in Epsom Salts

Exercise daily

Call your grandparents/parents/aunts/uncles

Stop.

Stretch your arms as far as you can. Try to touch the ceiling.

Breathe in for 4 counts.

Hold for 4.

Breathe out of 4 counts.

Roll your shoulders.

Look around your room/place you’re in.

Name 4 things you can see.

3 You can feel.

2 You can hear.

1 You can smell.

If you haven’t eaten in more than 6 hours, make a healthy snack.

If you haven’t had a drink in more than 2 hours, get some water or juice.

If you haven’t taken your medication, please take it.

If you haven’t showered or changed clothes in 24 hours, change/shower.

If you haven’t slept in over 20 hours, take a nap.

You may resume scrolling.

B U R N O U T  1 0 1 // what it is and how the fuck to fix it 

So, you’ve been really stressed/anxious/exhausted and all of a sudden you’re feeling unmotivated/apathetic/frustrated? Congratulations, it’s looks like you’ve burned yourself out!

What is burnout?

Normally, burnout occurs after an extended period of excess. The breaking point is different for everyone; some may cave after a week of finals, for others it may take months or even years. Symptoms of burnout include, but are not limited to:

- Apathy/disinterest

- Short attention span, difficulty concentrating, switching between tasks frequently 

- Frustration with others, your work, or yourself

- Depression, low mood, anxiety 

Shit, that’s me! How do I solve it?

- Start small, and ease yourself back into the swing of things 

Make note of the stuff you absolutely unavoidably have to to do with immediate urgency. Order in terms of immediacy as well as workload. So give credit for tasks both urgent and time consuming. If it doesn’t need to be done (either partially or completely) right this very minute, don’t worry about it. 

Break big tasks down into little tasks and tackle them one at a time. Reward yourself upon completion, but keep it reasonable. One episode of Parks and Rec is okay; a whole series is not. 

- Reestablish a routine

As insanely fantastic as it is, laying in bed all day is not going to get you anywhere. Set a routine, and stick to it; wake up at a consistent time and actually get out of bed, accomplish a few things each day (but they don’t have to be academic - laundry, taking a walk or vacuuming your bedroom) and stay out of bed except for when you’re sleeping. 

Naps are ok too though, but keep them short and don’t start after 3pm because you won’t be able to get to sleep at a human hour that night. 

- Take care of yourself

Give priority to maintaining healthy and normal sleep, eating, and self-care habits. You’re going to be useless if you’re exhausted, hungry, and grimy. 

Try to identify why you’re burnt out. Yes, you had two weeks of back-to-back exams. But is there anything you could have done differently? Could you have started studying earlier, made revision materials as you went, reduced or delegated other commitments? While this isn’t necessarily cure for burnout, it’s crucial to preventing another episode further on down the line. And after all, they say prevention is the best medicine. 

- Ask for help!!

Counsellors (academic and therapeutic) are there for your use. Take advantage of them, especially if they’re provided free of charge by your institution! They’ve got a lot of experience, and could impart some seriously useful wisdom about managing workloads, maintaining your sanity and resources if you really are struggling.

Supportive family; not everyone is lucky enough to have one, but if you do, make sure they know you’re under duress and see if they can help in anyway - letting you get off chores or offering to help with your place if you’ve moved out, providing sustenance, or just offering an ear for you to moan and rant and talk it out.