Chrysa's Corner: Leslie Knope’s Lament

By Chrysa Keenon | Echo

Being the girl who wants it all is hard. Being Leslie Knope is harder. Even if you don't know who she is, I'm sure you have heard of the trope of a strong female who overworks herself and ignores sleeping and eating in order to get something done. Unfortunately, friends, I fall into this category. It's the first month of the semester, and I already have spread myself so thin that if I were butter, I'd barely be able to get on the knife much less be spread on bread.

I know a lot of others in the Taylor community are in the same boat. So the true question is, when do you say "no" and take a breath?

"No" is a scary word by itself. I'm afraid to say it most of the time. It is the fear of being seen as incompetent that keeps me taking on responsibilities that I may not have the time for. But saying no is necessary. It is vitally important to recognize when your body and mind have been pushed over the edge. Here are a few questions to consider whether you have reached your stress limits.

1. Do you feel tired even after a good night's sleep?
2. Do you have little time to yourself outside of meetings, classes or social time?
3. Are you in more than one leadership position that requires a lot of your time?
4. Have your workouts not felt as rewarding as they usually do?
5. Do you have so much work that you don't know where to start?

If you really think about these questions, I'm sure we all will come to conclusions will come to conclusions that will make us wince. Being involved is a positive aspect of our lives. Even though we may hate to pass up an opportunity when it arises, it turns out to be for the best more often than we like to believe. However, if you answered yes to more than one of these questions, it may be in your best interest not to take on another opportunity.

However, there are a handful of once-in-a-lifetime chances that we think will never come again, so we have to take them right now. The next time you are offered yet another chance to be part of something that will be time-consuming, take a day or two to think about your decision. Meditate with these questions to see if taking on another activity is right for you.

1. Is this something you can see yourself being able to handle during finals?
2. Will you be able to relax and watch Netflix when you take on this new opportunity, or will it suck up your remaining free time?
3. Will it be something you will be proud of yourself for doing two years from now?

These are just a few helpful questions to ask yourself before you jump headfirst into that new club, and they are worth pondering. If you're already staying up until 2 a.m. every night to work on homework, chances are you probably shouldn't take on anything else.

It's important to remember that it's OK to say no. We can't all be Leslies. She's a fictional character for a reason. Real life requires tough decisions, and, most importantly, sleep. When in doubt, trust your gut, and you'll likely end up doing what is right for you.

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