By Betania Zelalem, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Well-Being Leader

As college students, I think a lot of us have gotten used to being busy. Between classes, work, extracurriculars, friendships, family responsibilities, and trying to figure out what we are doing after graduation, there is almost always something that needs our attention.

I know for me, my schedule can get pretty hectic. There are times when I am going from class, to work, to another responsibility, while also thinking about assignments I need to finish and everything else I have coming up. Even when I finally have free time, sometimes it doesn’t actually feel like free time because I am already thinking about what I should be doing next.

Something I have been learning, though, is that constantly being busy does not necessarily mean that I am being productive.

I think there is a lot of pressure in college to always be doing more. Get good grades. Work. Join organizations. Get experience for your résumé. Exercise. Maintain friendships. Plan your career. Save money. Somehow get eight hours of sleep. And then, on top of all of that, make sure you’re “enjoying college.”

It can become exhausting.

Sometimes we become so focused on the next assignment, shift, exam, internship, or goal that taking care of ourselves becomes the thing we keep pushing to later. We tell ourselves, “I’ll relax after this week,” but then another busy week comes.

I’ve realized that well-being doesn’t always have to mean completely changing your lifestyle or having a perfect self-care routine. Sometimes it can be something as simple as giving yourself an hour where you aren’t thinking about school. It can mean eating an actual meal instead of grabbing whatever is convenient, getting enough sleep before an exam instead of staying up all night, going for a walk, calling someone you care about, or saying no to something when you genuinely don’t have the capacity for it.

One thing I am personally trying to get better at is not feeling guilty when I rest.

Rest can feel unproductive when you have a long list of things you want to accomplish. But I’ve started looking at it differently. If I am exhausted, overwhelmed, or mentally checked out, forcing myself to keep going usually doesn’t result in my best work anyway. Taking care of myself allows me to come back to my responsibilities with more energy and focus.

I also think it’s important to remember that struggling to balance everything doesn’t mean that you aren’t capable. Sometimes it simply means you have a lot on your plate.

College is already challenging enough without constantly comparing your progress to everyone around you. Someone else’s productive day, internship, GPA, graduation timeline, or career plan doesn’t take anything away from yours. We are all dealing with different circumstances, even when we don’t see them.

So, if you’ve been feeling like you’re constantly running from one thing to another, maybe this is your reminder to check in with yourself.

Ask yourself: When was the last time I did something that wasn’t for school, work, my résumé, or someone else?

You don’t have to earn rest by completely exhausting yourself first.

Your goals are important, but so are you. And sometimes taking a break isn’t falling behind. Sometimes it’s what allows you to keep moving forward.