With the school year rapidly approaching, it becomes that time of year again to start thinking about getting ready to go back. Time to dust off the books, gather up the pens and pencils (and that geometry kit literally nobody used, yet was always on the list) and brave the aisles of the back to school sales -- that started in July. For many of us, this means a new beginning; the new year is a fresh slate. For some of us, this even means a new school to navigate, new people to meet, and a whole new bucket load of classes to handle. It can all start to feel a little (or okay, a lot) overwhelming. This picture summarizes the reality of how many students feel from day to day:
Now I don't know about you, but personally, that is not the way I want to live my life, especially in university, with so many opportunities to take and memories to make! There is a way to balance everything. This doesn't mean giving up on the things you love or cutting out a single one of those sides of the decagon. The key, you ask? Here are 5 simple tips to reach a state of balance:
1. When you say you're going to study, actually study.
We've all been there -- we've complained about how much we have to do, locked ourselves in the library, layed out every single school supply we own... and somehow managed to instead waste 3 hours on our phone, talking to friends and falling for clickbait. Do yourself a favour and actually study when you say you will -- use the Pomodoro method (the technique I'm currently trying out), or any of the other countless methods. You'll be surprised at how much time you had actually wasted 'studying'.
2. Chunk out blocks of time for relaxation, and treat them as law.
On the other side of the spectrum, sometimes it can feel as though the only thing you could possibly have time for is that report, now that project, and that test, almost forgot that essay...until a couple weeks have gone by, and all you have to show for it is your steady GPA. School is definitely very important, but I have learned the hard way that if you don't schedule time to relax and force yourself to take it, you burn yourself out. Plus, this way also gives you motivation for being more efficient the rest of your day, because you know you get to relax later!
3. Prioritize.
Again, this doesn't mean that you need to give up on everything but your absolute favourite activity. But there is wisdom to not just frantically figuring out how to squish everything into your schedule, but instead to simply do less better. Decide what really matters to you, which things you can probably pass on, and commit to the activities you chose wholeheartedly. It will feel a whole lot more rewarding!
4. Stay organized.
I am a bit of a bias opinion, as lists and planners are my best friends, but seriously -- stay organized. Take a load off of your already very busy brain and make sure to write down any tasks you feel are important, instead of worrying about them endlessly, hoping you will remember. You will feel more on top of things and most likely will be more efficient as well.
5. Eat, sleep, repeat.
Okay, it's a bit more complicated than that. But making sure your body is properly rested, energized with healthy food, as well as throwing some exercise in beyond walking to class -- can do wonders for your stress levels. It may feel as though you don't have time for these tasks, but the truth is, they will make you much more efficient and productive overall, and it's really a net gain.
Life is too short to simply let time pass by- this year, make every day count!
