This JD/PhD thing is kicking my you-know-what! At the beginning of the semester, I had everything under control. I was on top of all my reading, exercising daily, and still managed to get a good night's rest. Now, we're in the middle of the semester, and I can only watch my world crumble around me. I stay in the library for hours and hours on end, only to leave (or rather get kicked out by the library fellow) with things left to do in the early morning or during my lunch break. I think this is it, the not-so-mythical "burn out" I've heard so much about. Don't get me wrong, the law school workload is not unbearable, it's the combination of law school, grad school, and TA work that's causing my misery. I need about 4 more hours in the day to finish my readings for class, grade some assignments for an undergrad course, and make some edits on a draft to send to my advisor. 

Staying organized, managing my time, and controlling stress are extremely important to me. Here are some of the ways that I avoid a complete meltdown:

1. Keep a planner. I write down every single task and deadline in my planner. Doing so helps me to know when to expect a busy day or week, and it also helps me identify a period that I can look forward to a break. Short term goals keep me sane, so knowing that I just need to make it to Wednesday afternoon makes Tuesday not seem like such a drag! 

2. Take it one step at a time. Think "small picture" for once. One of my favorite sayings is "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." Complete a task, then move on to the next one. Stressing out over your entire to-do list isn't going to get you very far. 

3. Stay positive and find joy in the simple things. Listening to my favorite song on my way to campus or eating lunch outside on a beautiful day can truly make a difference. And don't judge me if you ever come across a self-affirming "You go girl!" at the bottom of a page of notes. 

4. Eat healthy. It's so easy to fall into the trap of grabbing a quick bite or loading up on caffeine. Instead, pack a light meal that won't drag you down after lunch.  While coffee may be a quick pick-me-up, the loads of sugar can be detrimental in the long run. I find that homemade fruit smoothies give me the same boost of energy as a cup of joe. 

5. Exercise. To be honest, when I feel stressed and crunched for time, my scheduled workout is the first to go! This shouldn't be the case.  Exercise releases endorphins, not to mention you've been sitting in the library for six straight hours. Get up! On extremely busy days, I adopt an abbreviated workout for about 30 minutes. 

6. Get some sleep! While an all-nighter may sometimes seem like a good idea,  I have realized that I don't retain as much when I'm sleep deprived, and I'm less alert the next morning. Lose-lose, right?