Sometimes you get to the point where almost every minute of your life seems to be booked. An exam at eight in the morning is followed by other classes, work, errands, clubs, practice, meetings ...and the list only goes on. In my experience, well-meaning people will ask why you don't just give up some of your activities. Do you really need to do all the things?
While annoying, this is a legitimate question. Busyness isn't a crime, though knocking off a commitment or two does make a little extra time in the day. But assuming you like everything you're up to or don't have much of a choice about it (like, say, balancing a hard major and a job), then it isn't particularly helpful or encouraging. Try not to overextend yourself, sure, but if you want to do All The Things then here's some more relevant advice.
Yeah, this seems to contradict what I just said about busyness not being bad. However, just because you have a lot of commitments, that doesn't mean you shouldn't figure out what's the most important. Ask yourself:-Which class can I do the least work it and still do well?
• Can I miss an hour or two of work this week?
• How important is this?
• Am I struggling alone when I should delegate or ask for help?
• Do I enjoy or find value in what I'm doing?
• If I could only get three things done today, what would they be?
Asking these questions doesn't mean you have to give up on half of your classes or skip out on something important. Rather, you should be trying to find ways to do more things in less time.
I vanish on weekends. Sometimes to the library or the park. I chill by myself because that's how I recharge. I still write papers and go to work, but I try to set aside some time for riding my bike or reading a book. Do whatever YOU like for a bit. Call your parents. Play ultimate frisbee with some friends. Listen to your favorite song. Even if it's just for a few minutes, do something that makes you forget how much stuff you need to get done.
Routines are a genius method to making sure you're in the places you need to be when your need to be there and getting things done (hopefully) before they need to get done. That's why you have a class schedule. They work best when you have your priorities and time-saving tricks built into them. Want an A in that stupidly hard gen ed class? Your study tie should be part of your weekly routine. Sick of wasting time in the morning? Set your clothes out the night before and you'll get more done. ...Or you can sleep in another five minutes. Routines are great; they help out our fickle human brains with remembering things and being productive.
However, routines can also get you in a rut. If every day feels the same, don't be afraid to change things up. Set aside a "spontaneous" half hour in the day where you do what you want. That can be watching cat videos or studying flashcards. The important thing is, in that 30 minutes, you have a choice. Spice things up. Don't walk the same way to class all the time. Sit somewhere else at lunch. Make an effort to catch up with friends who disappeared into the sad folds of a smothering semester right after midterms.
The important bit is to make sure your routine is solid enough to keep you sane, reliable and productive, but flexible enough to keep you sane, happy and productive.
Meaning a planning system that works for you. Use a bullet journal or a Passion Planner. Write all your assignments on a big calendar. Maybe write them on a pad of sticky notes. Find a decent smartphone app. Or be revolutionary and use the free planner your school or mom gave you. Whatever. You should only care that it works for you. Requirements: it should be simple and it should make room in your short-term memory for cooler stuff. Like biology homework, the last episode of Stranger Things or how much you want pepperoni pizza right now.
Learn how to do things in small chunks. Answer that important email to your academic advisor in your lunch hour. Destress. Study some flashcards while waiting for a webpage to load.
This should be part of your Escape. I'm not so great at keeping in touch so I have a few strategies. I try to call my parents twice a month (sorry, mum, I'm not good at that) and I go out for dinner with friends every so often to catch up (bonus: no terrible campus food). Figure out what works for you. Make sure it has more depth than the typical "Hey, how are you? Busy? Same" college student conversation.
Sometimes you'll have a busy week. Or a busy whole semester. Make the resolution now to have a less busy next week or next semester. I mean, actually plan on it. Figure out a strategy. How can you pull this off? Is there something you're doing now that you won't have to later? This might sound like prioritizing all over again. It is. That's because while it's okay to have a busy season in life or credit heavy semester, you might not what to do it forever. Take small breaks, but make sure you have bigger breaks waiting for you down the road.
