Handling a busy schedule can be stressful. This is especially true for students, but it applies to everyday life as well! Time management is an important skill, but can be difficult to master. Even as an *almost* college senior, I still struggle with this at times. If you are in the same boat, I hope this post provides you with some helpful strategies to balance your busy lifestyle!
The spring semester of my sophomore year was extremely busy. I was taking very difficult courses that required labs, recitations, and additional workshops (hello Organic Chemistry II), serving on two executive boards, and involved in multiple clubs. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement! It may not sound like a lot now, but couple that with homework and the overall stress of college life makes for a very interesting situation! I needed something to change and fast!
The key here is BALANCE (something I am still working on). There are days where you may have to sit in the library for hours on end but doing that day after day is going to leave you feeling burnt out and exhausted. To avoid that, I like to time block. Each day I will write out my schedule so I can clearly see where my breaks are. From there, I determine what the best use of my time will be – working out, getting ahead on a quick assignment, grabbing lunch with a friend, etc. It varies each day, but breaking up study sessions with something mindless every now and then keeps you feeling at the top of your game.
Eliminating distractions is another key factor in the time blocking method. It is so common to say that you “don’t have enough time” to do things. I’ve been there too! It is so easy to feel like there are never enough hours in the day, but it all comes down to your mindset. If you plan to do homework from 3-4pm, make sure you are actually working during that time! As tempting as it can be, try not to scroll through Instagram, Pinterest, or talk to friends. By designating certain parts of your day to certain activities, you will keep yourself accountable and will leave time towards the end of the day for something fun!
Know your limits! The students at my school are very involved on campus which is awesome, but putting too much on your plate can have negative side effects in the long run. Of course you want to honor your commitments, but there is nothing wrong with taking a step back if you need it. It is also completely fine to say “no” every now and then. Trust me, if you are in a tough major, turning down a party or other social event is not the end of the world! Your friends should and will understand and there will always be other opportunities. Do what is best for YOU 🙂
Finally, remind yourself that everything always gets done. When things get overwhelming, it may seem like there is a never-ending pile of work to do. However one thing I learned is that stressing never helps accomplish anything. Take a deep breath and regroup. I promise it WILL get done. Going off of that, do not be afraid to ask for help if you need it! As organized as I think I am sometimes, I had my sister sit down with me during spring break that year and she helped to completely rearrange my schedule to make things more manageable. If you would like to know more about what we came up with please let me know! I would be more than happy to share 🙂
I hope you enjoyed these tips for time management! Thank you for reading and I will see you back here on Wednesday for my next post!
[…] to make a to-do list and create a schedule for the day by time blocking (more tips on that in my time management post!) I like to time block in pencil in case there are any changes, but you can see in the example […]