While doing my first degree in the university, I came into the university community as a bright student. I did not really understand what it was like to not be the best in any subject, sometimes I was second best though. While in high school, we had an already established routine which, I must say, was responsible for bring out the best in us.
We really did not need to discipline ourselves so much to do anything. We just had to those things because if we didn’t, we would be disciplined (punished).
The responsibilities were not much, at least, we did not get to think of what to eat and stuff like that. Coming to the university, it was a whole different sport for me.
Everything was going on too fast. I wanted to make the best grades, while also trying to have a decent financial standing and in all these, I needed a healthy social life too! It just did not work, or better put, it was really hard to get any of these areas of my life really right.
Being a student inevitably comes with a multitude of responsibilities, such as attending classes, completing assignments, managing part-time employment, and maintaining an active social life. This can be overwhelming at times. Fortunately, with effective time management techniques, you will be able to find balance and excel in all aspects of your life.
The following are tips that you should consider to help you balance school, work, and your social life:
As a Student, You should Set Your Priorities Right
In managing your time effectively, the first step is always setting priorities. Determine what matters most to you and allocate your time accordingly. A good student should be able to make intentional plans. As the saying goes, “he who does not plan, has already planned to fail”.
For instance, if getting good grades is crucial for your academic progress or scholarship requirements- it may mean cutting back on socializing to focus on academics. There must be sacrifices made in order to have better results in more important areas.
Create a schedule
Creating a schedule that divides up the day into manageable segments of study time alongside work commitments allows proper allocation of personal leisure activities without neglecting any responsibility. Therefore writing out tasks that need accomplishing can assist in keeping your schedule solidified.
You can get a planner or schedule note and keep track of routine, what you need to do. Authors like Brian Tracey in his book Eat that frog has stated the importance of writing down plans for the day. When you can touch your plans or schedule, it feels more real and urgent.
Rid yourself of distractions
In my first year as a student, I had a big challenge with video games. I knew they were a distraction but even then, it was just had to let them go. How would I leave my soccer video games? It was really a big decision for me. I eventually let them go and that was when I began to make reasonable progress in my life generally.
As a student, my grades improved, I got a remote job and really had great success in that regard, I picked up a skill too and made good progress. I still played games, but it was very rarely, and with time, I was not so interested as I used to be.
Distractions like notifications from social media platforms can throw anyone off their set schedule timeline this can easily be avoided. Keep away from distractions such as social media or unnecessary tabs while studying by utilizing apps and keep distance from items like phones when studying to cancel out any temptation for potential distraction.
I have a friend who will go as far as locking up his phone in his car downstairs whenever he needed to read or work upstairs. I found it amusing initially, but you cannot deny the efficiency of this slightly funny approach.
Self-care
The significance of self-care cannot be overstated as it plays an essential role in maintaining productivity levels while staying focused throughout daily tasks by ensuring one has had enough restful sleep routine coupled with healthy meals throughout the day likewise regular exercise routines ensure excellent mental health allowing oneself to feel more energized during active periods.
Make productive use of your time
Maximizing the given amount of time instead involves productive actions such as reading during lengthy commutes or taking advantage when having break intervals between classes only increases productivity while granting spare moments for important additional work-effort on high priority goals. This requires a great a deal of discipline as it might look easy to use any “spare time” for something fun or of the sort. Avoid procrastination like a plague
Learn The Act of Saying “No.”
The aim is to balance all aspects of one’s life without over-commitment; Over committing causes possible burnout in the long run. By learning to say “No,” this opens up space in your schedule for other important priorities that need attending. It’s normal to want to take on other people’s needs or try to accommodate everyone, but you must you understand that this is not possible.
If you cannot say “No” and put your plans/schedule first, you may never get anything done, more so, if you are a student who is trying to keep the grades bright, earn a few bucks on the side and also have a decent social life.
Summary
To summarize, balancing school, work, and social life can be done effectively through proper time management techniques. In order to achieve balance and excel in all areas of your life, it is recommended to set priorities, establish a schedule, eliminate distractions, take care of your well-being, utilize time effectively and politely decline opportunities that do not align with your goals.
