Hello everyone!
All or nothing, go big or go home- these two common phrases mean the same thing. There are some people who either have to go full out, or would rather do nothing at all when working on something, rather than splitting things up or having a more balanced lifestyle. I’ve worked on doing things in moderation more as I’ve gotten busier and had to adapt my schedule, but I used to be very “all or nothing” in my mindset. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Keep on reading to find out my opinion.
My mom always told me that the “all or nothing” type mindset could be toxic, but I didn’t really believe her until I started high school and I got busier and more overwhelmed in my daily life. I figured as long as I worked hard in long chunks, I could chill and not really do anything the rest of the week/time. When new tasks or responsibilities landed on my plate, I wanted to get everything done immediately and then return to have nothing on my mind. I quickly learned this strategy would not work in high school, and I had to adapt to a more “normal” balanced schedule of working a little bit each day.
I still feel like my “dream” lifestyle would be to get everything done as soon as it comes up so I never have anything on my plate for too long before it gets completed, but I know that’s not realistic with the amount of schoolwork I have and other things I’m involved in. I think this mindset can be toxic since you feel like you have to be working super hard for long stretches of time, which can turn out counterproductive since it easily burns you out.
However, from personal experience I know it can be difficult to shift away from this mindset. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that life is not all or nothing. There are tons of shades of grey in between, if you will, and it’s all about making the most of your time each day. Don’t feel pressured to dive into things immediately- it’s okay to just dip your toe in at first. I’m sorry for all the cheesy mixed metaphors, but it’s the best way for me to relay what I’m trying to say.
Instead of worrying about going full out on things, start with what you need to get done in the moment/that day. Then, you can spend more time on or pay more attention to detail with a few things after you’ve gotten everything that you needed to done. Just remember to be gentle with yourself and don’t stress yourself out. The all or nothing mindset may work for some people, but it definitely weighs down your mental state over time.
I hope this helped some of you out who have gone through similar things with your mindset. Remember that different things work for different people, and some people may be able to productively utilize this mindset without a problem. Let me know if you have any questions as always 🙂
Brooke
adventures of a typical high school student 