As the recent pandemic has caused great anxiety to many students, it has become especially important to maintain mental health. Although there are plans to return to school, all students should still be trying their best to stay mentally healthy.  Mr. Marcia, one of the Saugus P.E. teachers and Athletic Director, was willing to open up on his mental health priorities and how he stays mentally and physically healthy. 

“Taking care of my mental health is a huge priority for me. If I’m not doing well emotionally, I immediately notice the negative impact it has on my physical health, relationships, and productivity. For me, good mental health has a negative correlation with my level of stress.  As the stress in my life increases, my mental health decreases, and vice-versa,” Marcia explained.

When asked what specific advice or tips he’d offer others trying to maintain a healthy mental state, he replied with a simple “to-do” list. “Creating a handwritten ‘To Do’ list is one of my go-to methods of handling that stress and turning things around. It seems too simple to be true, but each time I cross off an item on my list, it feels like a giant weight is lifted off my shoulders and gives me the motivation to be more productive. And when I look back at that list at the end of the day, I feel a sense of accomplishment that gives me the boost I need to tackle another day of work and allows me to fully enjoy what life has to offer. I can’t say that this method will work for everyone’s mental health, but if you’re a procrastinator like me, something as simple as a handwritten To Do List can dramatically improve your level of stress. I highly recommend it.”

He also added that procrastination causes him the most stress. “My main source of stress is when I begin to procrastinate and my responsibilities begin to pile up. If I ignore the problem and try to go about my day, I can’t find joy in the things I usually like to do, because my unattended workload feels like a grey cloud looming over my entire day.” 

During the pandemic, many of the staff and students at Saugus have been experiencing great amounts of stress brought on by procrastination. The feeling of being stuck at home without physical school can be draining for some and even make students feel unmotivated. However, if balancing one’s school and social life  gets too overwhelming, a “to-do” list can help get all of your assignments layed out for you to do. After speaking to some Saugus students, it seems that there are many who use the list idea to keep themselves organized and sane. Isabella Sarkissian, a Saugus freshman, explains that she too uses “to-do” lists as it keeps her more motivated to finish her assignments and chores. “I actually sometimes do. It works because it keeps me motivated to finish it [the list].” This then proves that Marcia’s idea can be very beneficial and effective to not just staff, but students as well.