Love, Lucy is the New School Free Press’ weekly advice column, where editors share thoughtfully researched solutions to questions about your life. Send submissions via email to nsfplovelucy@gmail.com or through Love, Lucy’s official Google Form.
“Hey Lucy, I’m having trouble balancing work and relaxation. My capitalist worm wants me to be constantly working even though I know that, most of the time, the work I’m doing doesn’t actually serve my well being or my community. How do I learn to give myself a break?” – B.H. the busy bee
Dear Reader,
Let me guess? You have a paper due at 12 am tonight, you only got 4 hours of sleep, and you have an 8-hour shift ahead of you, with only an iced coffee in your system. As if being a full-time student isn’t enough already, many of us also add on a part-time — if not full-time — job on top of it. Whether it’s by choice or not, we commit ourselves to packed schedules. However, you are not alone in this struggle. I’m not afraid to say it, I’m a workaholic as well – and I love it. I constantly ask myself, “Why am I not taking on additional hours?” Hustle mentality, while productive, can be detrimental to our physical and mental health, and it is terribly important to take a break – even if we feel like we shouldn’t.
We cannot work well if we also do not rest well. Surveys taken of North American workers show that we are more productive and have improved mental health when taking a break. It’s amazing that you have a great work ethic now, that’s better than none at all. However, take advantage of small breaks.
Some of us take extra hours at work because we need to. It would be silly to say you thrive off serving lattes to egotistical wealthy white New York socialites, or running petty errands for someone styling a D-list celebrity. But at the end of the day, there is nothing quite as rewarding as receiving a big fat check on payday.
The work-sleep-repeat mentality is engraved in our worker bee brains, as students living in a city as expensive as New York. Stepping out of your door requires spending money. Even just taking the train one time is already $2.75 off your paycheck. I get it, we have to work to survive. Yet, six- to 10-hour long shifts after class time are not good for your health, and may even be deadly. A study done by Stanford University noted that “working long work hours increased mortality by almost 20%.” Let’s be real here: you won’t be able to spend that lovely paycheck when you’re 6 feet under.
It’s hard to imagine dying of overwork when you’re in your undergraduate years. Your body can handle a lot – but just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
Finding time within your own busy schedule for self-preservation is essential. I find that taking advantage of the little gaps you have on the subway or during your government-mandated 30-minute break, and between classes can help ease tensions on a busy day.
Personally, I like reading astrology books, journaling about my newest situationship, and people-watching while listening to old country music. Starting off with something small that you can fit in between your schedule won’t feel like such a burden to your work or school schedule. These things remind me that I am not a minimum-wage working machine.
Although enjoying the small pleasures in life is important, you should also take advantage of your days off. Of course, money is hard to deny and an extra shift can make the difference, but a good day of rest can make a difference too. Sit in the park and indulge in the sun rays that you barely receive. Go on a fun date or catch up on sleep. You’ve already worked five days in a row. You earned this day off, so use it. You’ll have the whole next week to work. Take advantage of it, even if it means just sleeping in!
We are all still young and thriving, allow yourself the fun of being a college student when you have the time to be one. You must find time to prioritize yourself in some way in order to have a healthy balance.
Love, Lucy
A weekly song for your troubles: