Written by Michaela Smit

Thumbnail Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash

Till death do us part. Sometimes it feels like death is the only way I'll be able to part from all the things I must do. I can never seem to tick off all the items on my to-do list, and it keeps getting longer and longer. Being a grad student, my life revolves around my research; I've spent many nights agonizing over lab protocols, data analysis, and whether any of it makes any sense. There have been weeks I've lived on nothing but chocolate and coffee, trying to frantically meet my deadlines. Beyond chasing deadlines, being a grad student feels like I'm always on call – there's always another paper to read, another method to try, another email to reply to, more results to process, and on and on. I don't punch out at 5 o'clock and stop being a student. It can be all-consuming at times and while pursuing an education is important, it's not more important than our mental health. We're living in a hustle culture, where overworking and overextending yourself is seen as "hard-working" and "ambitious". I, as well as many of my friends and colleagues, have at some point experienced burnout. That shouldn't be the norm. We shouldn't be pushing ourselves so close to our breaking point. So, if you're reading this article and you feel stretched too thin, take a minute to check in with yourself and assess where you're investing your time and energy and if you need to re-prioritize your efforts.

Finding a work-life balance is much easier said than done. It's challenging to prioritize ourselves when the work needing to be done seems much more urgent. Neglecting self-care to focus on my research left me feeling stressed out and unfulfilled. It's easy to fall into the trap of your studies becoming somewhat of an obsession. However, I find that I am much happier and more productive when my life feels well-rounded. I recently discovered SMUfit drop-in classes, which are excellent fitness classes for all fitness levels offered free of charge to all SMUfit members. Best of all, being a SMU student, your SMUfit membership is included in your tuition fees – take advantage of it!. There is a selection of morning classes to get you energized and ready to tackle the day head-on, lunch-time classes to give you a break when you need one, and evening classes to help you unwind after a long day. Since I started attending these classes, not only do I feel more engaged with my community after having so many social interactions suspended due to COVID-19, but I feel less like a research robot and more like a person.

When I was a kid in school, I loved reading books and spent hours reading my favourite stories. Then university came around, and Harry Potter got swapped out for Concepts in Chemistry and that love for reading dwindled until it had been years since I read anything outside of the required reading. Any avid reader knows that not reading the books you love for an extended period is almost soul-crushing. So when I realized one of my favourite hobbies had just about disappeared from my life, I knew it was time to reassess my lifestyle. So I started making an effort to read at least one non-university book per semester. In addition, I make sure to spend at least 15 minutes outside each day, and I take time to do something I enjoy, whether that's baking, watching a TV series, painting, or spending time with family and friends. When I was reshaping my lifestyle, it was essential to set small achievable daily objectives centered on whether I enjoyed my day rather than how much I was able to accomplish that day. These small changes helped shift my mindset from prioritizing productivity to prioritizing my needs as a person.

As the fall semester ends and we get ready to reflect on 2021 and make our New Year's resolutions, let's be mindful to not only set professional goals but to set personal goals too. I can confidently say that the work I produce when I am happy and in a good headspace is much better quality than the work produced by a cranky, sleep-deprived, caffeine fuelled shell of a human. Self-care is essential, and it looks different for everyone. It's about getting to know yourself and your limits and what you need to recharge so that you can live a satisfying life. Start small and be kind and gentle with yourself. It's okay to say no to people and take a break when you need one. It takes time and patience to change your lifestyle. If you feel like you need help, Saint Mary's University has many great resources related to health and wellness, such as the counselling centre to help students deal with the stress of university as well as everyday struggles.

Married to Your Research: Creating a Healthy Relationship Between You and Your Thesis

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