Column: How to find joy in your busy schedule

I’m at a point in my life where school work and extracurriculars have turned my every waking moment into an overscheduled frenzy. There are days when the only thing I look forward to is eating my Yoplait greek yogurt. Although it is impractical to ditch your booked agenda, it is still possible to enjoy your last couple months of high school. Seize the day with these feel-good tips. But fair warning, I’m not a world-renowned health guru, so my methods of living life to the fullest are not scientifically proven. But hey, don’t knock it till you try it.

Every morning when I get ready for school, I have discovered that the best way to curb my enthusiasm is singing. I have a hard time memorizing song lyrics, but that’s all right. Singing about what I’m doing to the beat of a song I like is much more refreshing. For instance, while I’m brushing my teeth I’ll sing, “I want you to know, that it’s your time, yellow teeth now you’ll be white.” Or if I’m washing my face, I’ll sing, “Cause I’m young and hormonal, I might take this way too far, I’ll accidentally pick you, and leave a nasty scar, got a cabinet full of pimple creams, my dermatologist will tell you I’m insane, but as long as my skin is flawless, I won’t hide in shame.” I know this method sounds pretty lame, but sometimes being a little lame and laughing about it is the perfect remedy to ease one’s mind.

However, I have found that the most crucial factor of whether or not I’ll have a good day is how well I sleep the night before. Sleep is for the weak? Not in this case. A good night’s rest to me is at least 6-7 hours. And I’m not talking about going to bed at midnight, waking up at 4 a.m. to finish math homework, and then passing out on my desk till my alarm wakes me up at 6 a.m. No! I’m talking about quality sleep without interruptions. My nightly routine consists of taking a warm shower around 10 p.m., moisturizing my body/putting on pimple cream around 10:30 p.m., and then going to bed around 11 p.m. without any electronic devices in sight. I know it’s hard to steer clear from social media before bed, but those few minutes can leave a major impact on how well you sleep. Think about it, it’s not solely how much time you spend on your phone or laptop, it’s how much time you lay in bed thinking about what you’ve just read or viewed on your phone or laptop. Agree or disagree? So do yourself a favor and avoid using your electronic devices before bed. I guarantee that you will see a difference.

If you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, and feel as if you’re suffering from your jam-packed day, don’t fret! Based on my experience, I have found zen from focusing on how I start and end my day. As a whole, this strategy has left a significant impact on my ability to power through a busy day as well as my outlook on life.