Doing Too Much
Last fall, I stepped onto my university campus with a little bit of dread, and a little bit of relief. Those two feelings always come up when I’ve packed my schedule to the brim. I was taking a few extra classes and also starting to have a bigger role in my organizations. At the same time, I was working eleven hours a week and trying to get a job for the coming summer (pre-COVID thinking). I knew I would be running around for weeks and I was dreading the long days. At the same time, a part of me was relieved because I felt like I was being truly productive for the first time.
Even then, I knew it was a crazy thought. I don’t need to be doing so much to be on track for my goals. Yes, I am capable of managing it all, but does it mean that I should? I think it can be hard to know what is the right amount of commitments for us, personally. When I overcommit, I don’t get to dedicate as much time to each as I would like. When I under commit, I know that I am not using my time as best as I could.
This balance of time comes into question every semester, every summer, and every season of my life. I’m still figuring things out, but here are some things I keep in mind when deciding whether to take on something new:
Purpose – What is the point of taking this on?
Regardless of the situation, a project, job, or responsibility needs to have a clear reason to say yes. For me, commitments center around gaining experience, earning money, or giving back to the organizations I love. I’ve learned that if a commitment isn’t in the direction I want to be heading, I won’t make the most of it. I might even resent the fact that I’m not doing something more fulfilling.
Fit – How will this new commitment fit into my current schedule?
When signing up for something new, we don’t always get the luxury of starting with an empty calendar. We’re always trying to fit everything together with the obligations we already have. Of course, the more commitments you have, the harder it is to fit in something on top. I try to use my past experience to determine how much I can handle. I think about the impacts a new project may have not only on my time, but also on the projects I have going already. It’s not an easy game of Tetris, and not every piece has a good place.
Patience - Is this the best option I will get?
I started applying for summer internships in October. I didn’t have much success initially, but because I started so many months before, I wasn’t too worried. Jump to March and some opportunities were coming in. They weren’t exactly what I was looking for, but since I hadn’t had many offers, I was getting a little desperate.
Sometimes, desperation can motivate me to say yes to things that aren’t a perfect fit. As much as I would love to have my future sorted out ahead of time, some of the best opportunities don’t come up until the last minute. There are so many opportunities out there and you should know that a good one will always come around.
In some seasons, we’ll have taken on too much. In others, we may be searching for something extra. No matter what, we won’t ever achieve a perfectly balanced schedule. Our days fluctuate and we learn through every decision. Things can always change, no matter how long or large a commitment. In business, they say that every cost is flexible in the long run. We can only do our best with what we have.
