I wouldn't necessarily say I'm the type of person who likes to keep busy. But, I am definitely the type of person that likes to be involved - I always have been, and I probably always will be. If I get an email about a new group on campus that even remotely interests me, I want to join it. I've had to find a way to keep a balance, keeping only things that fit into my schedule or are too important to me to give up, and learning to say no to some other things. Even after doing this I am still incredibly busy with school work and all of my activities. In high school, I don't think I handled being busy as well as I do now, at least not mentally. Here are some things that I have learned are very important when running a busy schedule, and I hope other people find them as helpful as I have!
Use a planner
I honestly could not function without one. I have large assignments and exams written in my planner, as well as work and meetings for each week. I take that and turn it into a to-do list every day, and it has helped me keep track of everything so much better. Not only that, I don't have the task of remembering what all I need to do weighing on my mind because I know that I just have to check my planner to find out.
Give yourself breaks
I've found that when I try to just power through a couple hours worth of homework and get it all done in one shot, I am completely miserable and end up taking longer. When you finish an assignment, or even just part of it, give yourself a little mental break. Play on your phone, doodle, stare off into space, whatever you need to do to recharge and will yourself to keep going.
Get ahead when you can, and accept when you can't
You don't have to be one step ahead of the game 100% of the time. When you can, taking initiative and helping yourself out is great, but it's ok to be on or even behind pace every once in a while. Don't let a little slip up get you down, just keep chugging along and soon enough that opportunity to get ahead will present itself again.
Split your time between what needs to be done and what you want to do
We all know that there is homework that we don't mind doing and homework that makes us want to drop out of school. Of course, the homework that makes us want to drop out is always the stuff that is due tomorrow and has to get done. My tip is to find a balance between these two things. Maybe do one daunting task, then do a more laid back one in between, then another daunting one, then a couple of fun ones, etc.
Schedule in some time to take care of yourself
To me, this is the most important tip. Nothing makes a busy schedule feel worse easier than letting it completely control your life. Make sure that you are taking time out of your day to eat (regularly, not just once a day thinking that's good enough), bathe, tend to any ailments you may have, and just to make sure that you're doing ok. YOU are the most important thing in your life, and if your physical and mental health is suffering, YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE CAN WAIT.
Don't be afraid to take naps
Everyone naps differently. You might find that you don't need an hour or so nap to feel rejuvenated, you might just need 20-30 minutes. And if you do need an hour or longer, then take an hour or longer nap. It's not being lazy if your body genuinely needs to extra rest to function properly. Get a nap in and then get back into the swing of things once you're feeling better.
Do something menial
Don't underestimate the power of a mindless task. Sometimes cleaning your room, folding your laundry, or organizing paperwork is exactly the kind of thing you need to rest your mind. The best part about these is that your being productive without using much brain power, so you're still getting done what needs to be done without overworking yourself.
Keep in mind why you're so busy
There's a reason you have such a busy schedule. Maybe you're involved in a lot of different things that overlap, or maybe your major or job is just really demanding in itself. Regardless, there is always a reason that you're doing what you're doing. Keep in mind what you're working towards and where you want to be one day. That ultimately is what will help you tolerate a busy lifestyle.
