Kelly Huang, Period 7, 12/14/22

 Kelly Huang

Period 7

12/14/22

Modern Mythology 2023

Atomic Habits & Growth

At this point in my senior year of high school, I’ve set 2 standards for myself. My number one standard is to stop procrastinating and get my work done earlier, not on time, but early. There’s a difference between turning in your work on time and getting it done early. I’ve seen people completing their homework in the middle of the night or doing it early in the morning. The feeling of forcing your eyes to stay open when it’s dying to close and the throbbing headache you get afterwards is absolutely horrible. The latest I’ve ever stayed up to do school work was 4 in the morning. That was also the fastest I’ve ever fallen asleep once I hit the bed. Nevertheless, lack of sleep as a result of procrastination had a heavy impact on my performance in school and my ability to pay attention. Speaking of sleeping, one of my other standards is to increase the amount of sleep I get on a school night. As of right now, the most I get is 6 hours per night, while the recommended amount of sleep for teenagers is 8-10 hours. Both of these standards are linked. Stop procrastinating and you’ll get more sleep.

I came to craft these standards because I’ve noticed how far I strayed away from the normal amount of sleep I got as a child compared to my teenage years. As a child, I would sleep at 10 pm, but as I got older, it’s been harder and harder to sleep earlier. It’s difficult for me to sleep before 12 am. I was shocked to find that one of my coworkers from my part-time job sleeps no later than 9 and sleeping at 12 was actually unusual for her while it was normal for me. In psychology, I learned that sleep is associated with one’s ability to consolidate memory and to recall information. To improve my overall wellbeing and school performance, I need to fix my body’s circadian rhythm. As for procrastination, I learned that doing everything at the last minute puts me under more stress and pressure than doing it earlier and having the rest of the time for myself. 

To show resilience at achieving my standards I set a limit to how late I can do any school related work. No later than 7 pm, which is the time when my mom gets back for her work. I would know I achieved this when my mom scolds me on why I never do homework. Because I finish it before she can even see me do it. Though, some homework do take longer than others. Another way I can achieve both of my standards is by limiting my phone usage that is not related to school. Whether it’s social media, games, or any other entertainment. I can get my work done without getting distracted with unrelated topics and get more sleep. It’s proven that the blue light emitted from our devices can inhibit the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. 

When I find myself slacking off or spending too much time on my phone, I try to think of other things that I can do that don't involve electronics. For example, I do paint by number art. Not digitally, but a physical piece. It’s fun and relaxing to fill in the blank spaces on the canvas and see my artwork come together. However, if I do find myself having to look at a screen for a long period of time because of homework, I would take a break in between to let my eyes rest and do something relaxing to regenerate my energy and motivation to continue. There are times when I can’t fall asleep because of the amount of anxiety and stress I’m building up. So I tend to listen to calming music to help me sleep. I find that method to be the most effective for me. Lastly, I need to lay off the caffeine for a while. Otherwise, I’ll be stuck as a night owl for a long time.