Paid Summer Policy Intern Program in California

By Lauren Berger, The Intern Queen

By Jupiterimages

Write it all down to stay organized.

You have a full plate — there’s no doubt about that. Between your part-time job, unpaid internship, after-school commitments, social life and schoolwork — you have zero time to yourself. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed, stressed, gain weight or get anxious. I wanted to provide a few tips to make sure your internship doesn’t drive you crazy. I spoke to my interns and my @internqueenTwitter followers about their quick fixes to make sure they don’t go nuts!

1. When the internship is done, stop interning. Today, there is a notion that the more hours you work, the more effective you are. This couldn’t be further from the truth. You want to work efficiently. It’s not about the hours you put in, it’s about the work that gets done. When your internship hours are done, wrap up your work,make sure you are organized and move on to the next thing on your to-do list.

2. Initiate “me” time. Somewhere in your schedule you must have some time to yourself. Try your best to leave at least 30 minutes every day where nothing is scheduled. This can be in the morning, afternoon or at night. Let yourself zone out, lay down, meditate, go for a walk — whatever you need to do to relax.

3. Make exercise a priority. Whenever I get stressed, this is my go-to solution. I’ve found that working out consistently makes me less stressed. It’s as if I know that I’ll have time to work out the feelings of anxiety at the gym or at the track later that day — my body has become accustomed to it.

4. Change your soundtrack. Throughout the day I find myself listening to “pump-up” music. This might be while I’m in the car, running, getting ready or even while I’m studying or researching. I’ve found that switching it up and putting together a relaxation playlist really helps me change my mood and loosen up.

5. Always leave time for organizing. Be very aware of your time at the internship. Always give yourself 20 minutes at the end (if possible) to wrap up your daily tasks, update your internship coordinator, file emails and update your to-do lists. Don’t let your work get sloppy and all over the place.

6. Mix tea into your routine. Our bodies are so used to running on coffee that we constantly refill and overdrink the substance. Try mixing things up by adding some tea into your day. For example, every day after 4 p.m. when I need that next pick-me-up, I go for tea. This makes me feel more relaxed and changes my mood. It still provides that energy boost as well.

7. Stop committing things to memory. Newsflash! You will forget. Write everything down that you need to do — personally and professionally. No matter how smart you think you are, you will forget something. If you know you have everything written down it will make you feel much more calm and collected.

8. Use a calendar system. In my book, ALL WORK, NO PAY I talk about creating your calendar system. It’s important to treat yourself like a professional and write down all of your commitments so you don’t overbook. This will help you stay organized. Every morning the first thing you do should be to check the calendar. Include notices regarding when tests are happening and when bills need to be paid.

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