November 1, 2008
Becca

I like to think that I have good time management skills. I’m an adult, I can handle a busy schedule, right? For a while this fall, I wasn’t so sure. It’s a good thing I live by myself, because I had clean laundry hanging all over the place, chemistry homework scattered on the floor, and my bathroom could really use a once-over (um, or a twice-over)! How do I find the time to go for a run when I’m already three weeks late on finishing writing my blog?!

I recently left my job at the Diabetic Youth Foundation, an amazing organization that has helped me to become a passionate, determined young diabetic woman who is ready to take on the world of nursing! I am now taking classes full-time to prepare for a nursing school program, and BOY. Are things different as a student! Making your own schedule, doing your work where and when you want – it should be a dream. But what I find is, I have SO much work to do that I almost feel guilty sometimes taking a break to go for a run. I think, if I run and then have to come home and stretch and then shower and then….that’s an hour and a half of reading I could be doing for my psych class! I’m such a different student than I was during my undergraduate studies. Now that I know why I am in school, I truly want to learn the material. And I could study 24 hours and a day and not know everything in those huge textbooks! Not to mention time spent volunteering at a local school and trying to be there for my friends – where does that all come in? I was starting to let everything become a priority except for myself.

I realized that maybe it wasn’t time management skills I was lacking. Maybe it was some perspective on what’s important. And what’s truly important is – my body! One of my classes is Pathophysiology, which is the study of allllll of the stuff that can go wrong with your body. And wow, there is a LOT! My assignments always entail detailing signs and symptoms, physiological mechanisms and treatments, etc. Treatment….want to know what is a part of “treatment” 90% of the time? Exercise! Reduce your stress levels! Get sleep and also rest (this is "non-sleep time that is spent lying down or relaxing" Sounds glorious doesn't it)! Eat well! Prevent sickness! All of the obvious things that, looking back over the past month or so, I have not being doing as well as I could.

Homework is important. Laundry is important. Blogging is important. AND…my body is important! Shoot, if I plan to compete in a half-Ironman in a year, that has to be my mantra. Take care of your body! Maybe I’ll write it on my bathroom mirror. So, step one complete: Perspective Obtained. Next step: getting motivated to change out of my cozy pajamas into running clothes…