March Madness on Island

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If you're looking for an analysis of the NCAA tournament or an opinion piece on Diddy and Simmons, prepare for disappointment. I've only seen highlights of the games and clips of news coverage. Let's end this Good Friday on something well...good.

Before I share this post's proven tactics for handling responsibilities in a timely manner, let me provide context. 

Occasionally, March has felt like madness. Between swimming competitions, football games, speaking engagements, fitness regiments, household responsibilities, and work commitments, I've experienced moments of overwhelm.

Twice this month, I had additional requests placed on my calendar. I spoke about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility at a Rotaract Club event. The Antigua Barbuda Swimming Federation asked me to be the photographer for an awards ceremony and an upcoming international swim meet.

It's been a full month. Making consistent time for writing, meditating, and exercising enabled me to make it through March without feeling empty.

We often stop working out, sleep less, and eat subpar food when we get busy. I struggled with getting adequate rest and had more than one meal misaligned with optimal health. We may save time by skipping the gym, working late, or eating junk food, but we also destabilize the cortisol hormone responsible for regulating stress.

Stress is the precursor to anxiety and can lead to severe health complications.

Every week, a student visits my office and talks about how little sleep and exercise they get. They complain about poor quizzes and exam performances but don't see the correlation between preparation and health habits. I affirm that medical school is tough and encourage them to take care of themselves throughout the process.

Whether you’re in school or working in your dream profession, life can be rough. Here are three time-tested strategies to make things smoother. 

Strategy #1

Schedule. Write down everything you want to accomplish. Whether you follow an hour-by-the-hour schedule or a "to-do list," identifying your tasks can help increase focus and reduce stress.

Strategy #2

Prioritize. After you acknowledge goals and a plan, rank the items. Assign a numerical value to each undertaking or create three separate columns labeled as "most important," "sort of important," and "least important." Start with your top priority.

Strategy #3

Delegate. It's ok to ask for help. The ego teaches us that it's weak to need assistance. Do your best to ignore that voice. By all means, do what you can and humble yourself to rely on others to handle everything else.

As much as this post is for you, it's for me. I only sometimes keep track of everything, manage multiple tasks without flaws, and allow others to help. The awareness supported through writing is the first step to change.

The discipline to go hard and rest easy is fundamental to any successful endeavor.

Below, you can see evidence of this month's busy schedule that prevented me from watching a full game of the NCAA tournament or learning everything about the allegations of sexual misconduct against P. Diddy and Russel Simmons. Subscribe to this blog for more helpful strategies for managing life.

If you're celebrating Good Friday, have a good one. That's two bad dad jokes in one post.