How Can We Fix The Over-Programmed Problem?

I'm here today to talk about an issue that has been pressing on my life for quite some time now. As a competitive, motivated college student who is very much into the extra-curricular side of her education, I can confidently say that I have invested about 80% of my time over the past 3 years into the idea of connectedness. Meeting new people, trying new things, and staying connected to the world around me. However, I think I am finally reaching this peak point at the top of the hill where I can see that I am 100% truly over-programmed.

What do I mean by this? Over-programming seems to affect a lot of people around me -- whether we're connected heavily to social media, to school, to our student organizations -- I think this issue reaches a lot further that just one of these aspects. It's almost as if being connected to all of these things is what causes the over-programmed problem. It's almost like that metaphorical triangle, each point saying "sleep", "school", and "social life" -- and telling you to pick two, that it's impossible to have it all. I think this notion that in order to make the most of your college experience you need to give up sleeping or accept a decline in your mental stability and that's the "norm" is extremely detrimental, and I think one way that we see this is in the over-programmed problem.

Whether or not it's a good or bad thing, we are always connected. It's almost as if we are all under the impression that unless you have your phone glued to your hand all day, you will be exiled from society and you will be out of the loop. We are all so terrified to be alone that we have to keep ourselves connected, being a part of every conversation taking place so we never miss a beat. 

Maybe it's not social media -- maybe in your case, you're over-programmed with what you're involved in. For me, I take a lot of responsibility and joy in my organizations I belong to. I have felt inclined to take the approach of doing more than just "belonging" in most instances. And after 3 years of carrying myself this way, I can genuinely say that I feel a little bit... burnt out.

While I think it is so great that we can fill our days with lots of different activities and organizations as college students, sometimes I think we get a bit in over our heads. We are encouraged to fulfill our experience with these meaningful opportunities, and there is a certain point that we can reach where it is no longer doing what it is supposed to be.

So I encourage the idea of stepping back. If you feel that your time is being spent in places you don't feel serve you, maybe try re-evaluating what you are doing. Filling our hearts with joy is so important at this pivotal time in our lives, and once we find the right balance, it can reignite our fire within to do what we love and love what we do.

xo Kate