Most people you ask what sports or activities they did growing up will list off several different
things they tried or participated in. As you get more into middle and high school things get cut
out and you start narrowing down to the activities you like the most. However, many teens still
find themselves overcommitted and stressed. So how much is too much? How do you find a
balance between doing the things you love and taking care of yourself?
When I reached high school, I was one of those over committed students. I had so many interests
and they all took up a lot of time. I was in show choir, theatre productions both through
school and community, cheerleading, dance, an active member of my youth group, piano lessons,
and I worked hard to keep my grades good. Each year there seemed to be more on my
schedule. I found it hard to say no. In return, I quickly became burned out. In the midst of all my
activities I wasn’t making time to rest and take care of myself.
I dealt with terrible depression and pushed it down with packing my schedule more. I thought
it would be easier to stay busy and not think about myself than to stop and make sure I was
taking care of myself.
Teens and adults alike both deal with over commitment. We don’t have to cut out all the things
we love. It’s ok to say yes to things, but we need to figure out which things fill us up and which
things are stealing joy, wearing us down, or just not something we really enjoy doing. Look at
the people you are around during the activities. Are they building you up or leaving you feeling
empty? Do you dread going to that sport every day and don’t remember the last time you got
excited about it? Maybe it’s time to take a look at cutting those things out.
Remembering to take care of yourself is so hard to do when
you fill your schedule and don’t take time to slow down.
Especially during the holiday season, it is a great time to stop
and check what you can do to take care of yourself and
relieve unnecessary stress.