So, you're reading this article because your life is currently in shambles. Well, whether your life-house has a slightly rotting foundation or is literally a pile of dust, worry not, for I am here to help. If you couldn’t already tell from the few personal anecdotes I have divulged in past articles, I am the Queen of Being a Hot Mess.
I’ve reached every milestone in the Human Disaster Handbook, from pepper-spraying myself on my way to a college interview (and yes, for the college, I am currently at), to managing to somehow not just get liquid lipstick on my teeth, but also on my nose...my nose...I don’t even know how that happens, to literally setting my oven on fire from trying to make cookies...when I was 18 years old (~4 months ago).
As you can see, I am highly qualified to recommend the following five-step process to becoming less of a human disaster:
Step 1: To-do lists are your BEST FRIEND
Yes, I know, constantly updating and changing a to-do list makes you feel like a full-time working suburban mom, but trust me, to-do lists are the holy grail of my daily life. I like to house mine in the notes app on my iPhone because let’s face it: I never go anywhere without my phone. At least this way I’m using technology somewhat responsibly...as long as having my to-do list say “GET SHIT DONE” counts.
It counts...right?
Step 2: Take challenges as a step back, not as a setback
First of all, I promise that that is not meant to sound cheesy (even though it does). What I mean when I say this is to put things in perspective. When something bad in life (however big or small) happens, it can feel like the end of the world even though it’s really not as devastating as it seems. I’m not going to give you BS “don’t worry about it won’t affect you!” talk, because bad things will happen in life, but they might not seem as bad as they see. One game I like to play when some event has triggered a what-am-I-doing-with-my-life-existential crisis, is to think about 1) how I will feel about whatever happened in two days, then 2) how I will feel in two months, and finally, 3) how I will feel about it in two years. Hopefully, by the third level, you’ll realize that everything is going to be okay.
Step 3: SLEEP!!!! (Is not for the weak!)
If there’s one thing every human being can agree on, I think it’s that we all love to sleep. Sadly, most people (especially students) prioritize just about everything else in life above sleep. This is understandable given the immense responsibilities any individual has, however, a bad night’s sleep+copious amounts of caffeine= human disaster. It’s as simple as that. Don’t believe me? Science has found that a lack of sleep can lead to several qualities that contribute being a mess, including, but not limited to, increased clumsiness and forgetfulness, decreased attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, problem solving, and judgment. I know you may have a deadline for work or a huge midterm tomorrow, but you need sleep.
Step 4: Baby steps...aka tackle life one day at a time.
There’s no handbook for how to win at life. Hell, there’s not even so much as a warning or a caution sign. Life just...happens. It’s the ultimate dichotomy; full of achievements and failures, rising up and falling down, being hurt and doing the hurting, celebrating and mourning, you get the idea. Going through all of this while also trying to be a fully-functional human being can be extremely mentally, emotionally, and physically draining no matter who you are or what your daily life entails, and as a result can seem cripplingly overwhelming.
If you find yourself feeling really overwhelmed by life, try taking it one day at a time. Focus on getting through each day and finding a balance between your responsibilities and overall health. Set aside time for self-care at the end of each day. Remember that you’ll be a whole lot more efficient, productive, and successful if you feel good.
Step 5: Embrace your inner mess.
Let’s face it, you and I both know that some messes just can’t be cleaned up. But that’s okay. You can still get the job done while being a mess by accepting that you are a mess and owning it! Don’t let anyone criticize you or condescend you because you’re not as “put-together” as they are, because honestly, they’re probably a mess as well and just too insecure to show it.
Owning your status as literal human disaster can enable you to jump (or in my case, trip) over that barrier and start figuring out how to keep going.
If anything else, just keep going.
