A few weeks ago, during an icebreaker activity in one of my classes, I was asked about my favorite thing to do when I’m not at work or school. My answer? Sleep. I have plenty of other things that I like to do, but lately I have been so busy with work and school, it seems all the time I have left is spent trying to get a few hours of sleep. I’m guessing my classmates thought my answer was a bit strange. After all, isn’t there anything else I like to do?

Well, of course I have other interests, hobbies, and activities! But it occurred to me that it had been awhile since I actually did any of them. So, with this new found realization, I made a promise to set aside more time to do things for myself. I went to the gym, caught up on recorded TV shows, cooked fancy dinners, started redecorating my room, planned dinners with friends, read non-academic books, and even spent extra time on social media.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling guilty for “wasting” my time on these things when I could be doing something that seems more important. It was good to be reminded that balance is important as well. Giving myself occasional breaks from what seems like never-ending work and school responsibilities has made me less stressed and more prepared to conquer everything this semester throws at me.

Now that you’ve heard what I’ve had to say, what is your favorite thing to do outside of work and school? Be sure to let me know in the comments!