Balanced Academic

It’s mid-semester, and the pace has officially picked up. Between coursework, research, meetings, and everything else on your plate, it can start to feel like you’re always a few steps behind. That sense of racing against the clock and your to-do list can be exhausting – but somehow, it also feels necessary.

I often catch myself thinking things like “Once I submit this application, things will slow down,” or “As soon as I get this article done, I’ll take a break.” But then the deadline passes, the paper gets submitted, and of course, new tasks appear, putting you right back where you started.

When we frame our workload around the idea of needing to “catch up,” we make catching up the goal, but that goal is a moving target. No matter how much you do, there’s always something else waiting for your attention. In grad school, the list never ends.

Instead of trying to catch up, I’ve been trying to recalibrate — to pause, reassess what actually matters right now, and give myself permission to move forward from there. It’s a subtle mindset shift, but one that can make a big difference in how you experience your week.

The Illusion of “Catching Up”

Grad school is full of rolling deadlines, new readings, unexpected revisions, and never-ending projects. There’s always another article to read, another draft to edit, another dataset to explore. The idea of “catching up” assumes there’s a fixed finish line, but in reality, that line keeps shifting – and chasing it can keep you stuck in a cycle of guilt and overwork.

The reality is that there’s no such thing as catching up in grad school (or in life). There will always be another thing to do, another looming task. If you get caught in the cycle of constantly needing to catch up, you’ll likely find that burnout isn’t far behind.

A simple reframe can go a long way. Instead of focusing on catching up, consider how you might be able to recalibrate. Recalibrating means stepping back to ask: What actually needs my attention right now? It’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things for this moment, based on your current energy, priorities, and capacity.

How to Recalibrate

1. Set a realistic baseline week.

Instead of planning out your week for your ideal self, plan for your average self. What are the essentials that need to get done this week? What tasks can move things forward, even on lower energy days?

2. Use rolling priorities.

Instead of carrying an endless list of incomplete tasks, reset your priorities weekly. What actually matters this week? What can wait? The goal is progress, not perfection.

3. Stop looking at your entire to-do list every day.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: make mini to-do lists. It’s my #1 remedy for overwhelm. Every day, pick 3 things to tackle – 3 things to make progress on. Don’t even glance at that list of 37 other items. For more info about organizing your to-do list – check out my post called The 3×3 Rule.

4. Forgive unfinished tasks.

Unfinished doesn’t mean failed – it means still unfolding. Some projects need to simmer, some tasks take longer than expected, and some weeks are simply full. Self-compassion goes a long way.

5. Build pause points.

Taking a few minutes to check in with yourself midweek can make a big difference. Ask: What feels heavy right now? What would lighten it? That small act of reflection can keep you grounded before the overwhelm builds.

A Personal Reflection

In my earlier grad school days, I used to equate being “caught up” with being in control. I thought if I could just finish every reading, every email, every lingering task, I’d finally feel calm. But that calm never came – because there was always something else waiting to be done.

Now, instead of chasing the illusion of being caught up, I focus on staying aligned. Each week, I pick a few priorities that matter most and give myself permission to let the rest unfold in time. I still fall behind sometimes – but it no longer feels like failure. It just feels like life in grad school.

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