I was super stressed earlier this summer. I could not sleep one night because of anxiety. Here are some things that have helped me keep the anxiety at bay and focus on applications, shadowing, and school (on top of work, and being a mom and wife):
1. Exercise and eat healthy
2. Spreadsheets to organize admissions info
*This makes it easier to compare the programs you are applying to, and you can list only the important info in your spreadsheet, which makes everything a little more consumable.
3. Start your applications early
*I do a little bit each night, which adds up to a lot over the course of a month or two or three.
*I set my own deadlines for references and submitting my applications. I want everything done early.
4. Stop reading and comparing yourself to others
*It's really hard, and I was guilty of doing this, but I made myself stop. Everyone has their own opinion. Put your energy in writing a better essay, reading OT books so you can discuss the field during interviews, obtaining more observation hours, etc.
5. Don't ignore the other things in your life that are important
*This was hard for me when I was younger. I feel that I am better equipped to juggle many things, now that I am older. For example, it's important for me to have quality time with daughter (playing a game, taking a bike ride, etc), so I always fit that in. If I don't, I feel horrible. If I feel horrible, I certainly won't be in the position to do quality work on my applications.
6. Make a to do list with time frames for completing each task
*You can't do everything at once. Keep a running list of outstanding items, and mark when you should be doing each item, and then focus on the items you should be doing now and getting ready for the next items on the list (register on time for classes, set up volunteer work if you need to do more in the fall, etc).
I hope you find this helpful!
