Every little bit counts

Every little bit counts

Kelly Smith

Have you ever thought to yourself, “How can I make a difference?” or “How will I be able to handle this?” I know there’s are countless people who’ve said one way or another that a little bit can go a long way. Despite this, do you still wonder exactly what you can do make a difference in life? This is something I’ve been wondering for several years. Over time, I’ve learned a few things.

I know there have been many people who will say, “Every little bit helps.” And this is very true. I remember receiving donation requests in the past and thinking, “I don’t know if I can do that much.” I mean, as a high school or college student, it’s not like we have that much spare time to make a pocketful of extra money. We live in a world of money, so it’s not unusual to think that we need to contribute more than we really need to. I’m not trying to make people feel pressured into donating, although I do encourage it from time to time. If you are a donator, whether it’s to charity or some other cause, always remember that every penny you donate does make some kind of difference.

And this doesn’t just apply to things like donating money or time. You know how your professors will encourage you to begin work on something, whether it’s a project or studying for a test, well ahead of time? As often you’ve heard this advice, it pays off in the long run and saves you from a lot of stress. This may be difficult for people who struggle with procrastination. If you are a habitual procrastination, try breaking it down by your available free time. You don’t have to be too strict on yourself, but if you can plan on completing a significant amount by a certain point, you’ll be in better shape for when the due date starts to rapidly approach.

As someone who has some perfectionist tendencies, I’ve had moments of being too hard on myself for one reason or another. For instance, I would be practicing something and thinking, “I know this doesn’t have to be perfect, but it needs to be as perfect as I can make it right now.” While striving to be the best we can is a good goal, this kind of mindset can also be unhealthy. If you’re in the process of studying for a test, do not be afraid to take breaks now and then. Your mind needs it, trust me.

We live in a pressurized society, one that tempts us to feel like we haven’t done enough and need to do more. Whether it’s helping others or helping ourselves, there’s always that feeling that we can do better, especially when we see other people whose circumstances allow them do more than what we can. While I’m not condoning laziness, there is a fine line between being efficient and helpful and being a perfectionist who is never satisfied. Don’t worry about being perfect, focus on getting the job done well.