Balancing Work and Personal Life:

When I started my internship at Fabletics, I thought I had everything under control. But after just a month and a half, I found myself completely burned out. My motivation was gone, and I realized I had been making work the center of my universe. That’s when I learned an important lesson: work is important, but it shouldn’t consume your entire life. In this post, I want to share how I bounced back from burnout and found a better balance between work, school, and personal time.

Finding the Right Balance

At first, I tried to manage everything by the book—strict schedules, packed days, and little downtime. But it didn’t take long before I was overwhelmed. I had to rethink how I was managing my time. Instead of cramming every minute of my day with tasks, I started creating a more flexible schedule. I blocked out time for internship tasks, schoolwork, and personal activities, but I also gave myself some breathing room. This way, if something took longer than expected or if I just needed a break, I had the flexibility to adjust.

Prioritizing became a lifesaver. I started each day by focusing on the most important tasks, whether it was a big project at work or an assignment for school. I also learned to break down large tasks into smaller steps, making them feel less daunting and easier to tackle. This made a huge difference in how I managed my workload without feeling constantly stressed.

Reprioritizing My Life

One of the biggest changes I made was rethinking my priorities. I realized that I couldn’t do everything—and that it was okay to say no sometimes. This was a tough lesson, but an important one. I also learned to be flexible. Not everything goes as planned, and that’s perfectly fine. Being able to shift my priorities as needed helped me stay balanced and less stressed.

Taking Care of Myself

I also realized how important it was to take care of my health, both physically and mentally. Exercise became a key part of my routine, not just to stay fit, but because it helped me feel more energized and focused. Whether it was a quick workout or just a walk outside, staying active helped me recharge.

Mindfulness and stress management also became really important. I started incorporating small mindfulness practices like deep breathing or short meditation sessions into my day. This helped me stay calm and kept things in perspective—work is important, but it’s not everything. And I made sure to get enough sleep, aiming for 7-8 hours a night. This was crucial in helping me stay productive and avoid burnout.

Preventing Burnout

After hitting that initial wall of burnout, I knew I needed to change my approach to work. I started taking regular breaks throughout the day to prevent mental fatigue. Setting boundaries between work, school, and personal time was another big shift. I decided on specific hours when I would “clock out” from work and focus on myself, whether that meant relaxing, spending time with friends, or just doing something I enjoyed. Sticking to these boundaries helped me maintain a healthier balance and reminded me that there’s more to life than work.

Reflecting and Adjusting

One of the most important things I learned was to regularly check in with myself. I asked myself if my strategies were working and whether I was feeling too overwhelmed. If something wasn’t working, I wasn’t afraid to change it up. My internship at Fabletics taught me that balancing work with school and life isn’t just about having the right strategies—it’s also about being flexible, kind to yourself, and keeping things in perspective.

In the end, I realized that work should be just one part of your life, not the whole thing. By finding a better balance, I was able to enjoy my internship, stay on top of my studies, and still have time for myself. And most importantly, I learned that it’s okay to step back, take a breath, and remember that work isn’t everything.