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We all start the term running fast. We stay on top of classes, hang out with friends, go to the gym, and minimize our procrastination. We feel excited for a new period in our life; being able to get a fresh start at our goals can be very motivating to work hard towards them. The first 2, maybe 3 weeks of the term are often the best because we can stick with all the ambitious goals we’ve set out for ourselves. We sprint -- and moving fast never felt so good.

One thing that has helped me a lot with my mental health, especially throughout the pandemic, is having creative outlets where I can create things and express myself outside of any school responsibilities or deadlines.

What keeps you on the grind?

I often find myself walking through each day, doing what I need to do, performing the tasks I need to complete, without really thinking about why.

Why am I spending hours studying this again?

Oh yeah that’s right. I have a test next week.

And the grind continues. But I realized that my train of thought was incomplete. In fact, the train's engine hadn’t even started. There exists an infinite expanse of answers as to why I put in effort each day, but a test next week was not the one I was looking for.

I don't know about you, but the title of this post really speaks to my level of engagement this past week. This is also evidenced by the delay in getting this post out. As Wellness Coordinators, Renate and I are certainly not unfamiliar with such impacts as motivation, energy management, cognitive load, and emotional regulation. Interestingly enough, we're also intimately aware of that beautiful phenomenon that can often derail and dissuade any task, action, or activity we have intentions of completing. That's right, friends.

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Success is a marathon, not a sprint.

Creative Outlets

Motivation

What keeps you on the grind?

Meh...I'll do it tomorrow.