Work life balance is hard— that’s usually the source of my mental fatigue. As a STEM major and retired overachiever and perfectionist, it’s hard facing academic life without becoming overwhelmed or beating myself up for not being the best, or as good as I once was. This is the root of nearly all of my mental health issues. Therefore, my self care usually involves avoiding academic responsibility by turning to my creative outlets!
I have talked previously about my hobbies such as art, crocheting, and singing, and how they are usually on the more creative/artistic spectrum because of the condensed academic other half of my life, so this further explains why I turn so much towards creative outlets when I’m not feeling the best. My hobbies allow for me to vent and express myself in ways that don’t damage myself or others and help relieve some of the mental burden I may be experiencing. I’ve been in not a great place mentally for a few weeks this semester so I’ve found myself really immersed in my hobbies lately, but hopefully I’ll return to simply doing them for my own enjoyment rather than out of need to stay stable!
