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"Doing it all"

Writer's picture: Jaleah RutledgeJaleah Rutledge

Between doctoral level coursework, leadership commitments on campus and in the community, research, triathlon training, and still living my best life, I’m often asked “how do you manage to do it all?” So, this post is an attempt to answer that question.


One of the first things that come to mind when I think about ways I stay balanced is to prioritize. I don’t have any particular time management strategy, but I make sure that all of my events and meetings are in my phone calendar and that all of my tasks are written in my planner. Often times it can seem like everything is a priority, which makes the task of prioritizing difficult for many. I’ve learned that is simply not the case. I wouldn’t say that I procrastinate, but I do my best to complete tasks based upon urgency or deadlines. This means that there are times my work has to take the back burner to matters concerning my family and friends, and there are times that I have to say to my loved ones “I can’t talk right now because I have a pressing deadline, but we can catch up once I get this in”. Always be aware and conscious of how you are prioritizing your time to ensure that you are devoting enough time to all parts of your life.


Another important thing about “doing it all” and finding balance to make sure that you have community within and outside of academia. If my friends and family haven’t heard from me in a while, they’ll call, text, email, or whatever to make sure that I haven’t been locked up doing work for too long. They remind me that life is still happening outside of school and to take time to enjoy it. On the other hand, I have great community within academia that truly uplifts me. holds me down. Graduate school can be very isolating, and you can often feel like you don’t belong, which can cause detrimental effects on your productivity. Being in fellowship with the right community can provide you with invaluable love, support, and accountability. As you get busier with school and your career, you have to be intentional in seeking out the community that you need. When I started graduate school, I showed up to a bunch of welcome events hosted by a variety of grad student-oriented organizations, and eventually, I found a few that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was in these spaces where I found my people. So no matter what career or academic phase you’re in, I encourage you to seek out community to help keep you balanced.


The last thing I want to recommend is to find at least one thing that keeps you grounded. After long days of reading and writing, you have to have something that allows you to recenter and find a sense of peace. This can be an activity, a hobby, a spiritual practice, or anything that centers you and provides you with peace and happiness. I’ve learned that my religious practices, fitness, and cooking all provide me with peace and happiness no matter what. I make time to engage in each of these regularly because they are integral to my physical and mental wellness. They help me to destress and clear my mind and as a result, I feel good mentally and physically. When I am centered, I am best equipped to pour into my loved ones, and I perform better academically.


Graduate school, your career, or whatever big task you’re working on shouldn’t come at the expense of your general well-being. You need all parts of you to be taken care of and nourished to contribute your best self to the world. You deserve balance so that you can be your best self, for yourself.


That’s all for now, I wish you all peace, blessings, and balance.


Thanks for reading.


xoxo,

Jaleah

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