As a college student, it can be hard to juggle it all – with competing activities pulling at your attention and time. You have your academic workload, a social life, perhaps a job to manage, all while getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. At times, it may seem like you can’t do everything. We are here to remind you with a few simple tips and reminders that you can better manage your responsibilities and find balance in your schedule.
Set realistic goals
Goal setting can be extremely productive in creating a balanced schedule. Make personal, academic and social goals to keep yourself in check. By doing this, you will allow yourself the freedom to put down the study materials to go hangout with friends every now and again. Plan to set aside at least 2 -3 hours for studying/homework and then build an hour to grab a meal, watch a show or hang with a friend.
Develop a regular sleep schedule and routine
We often hear about the benefits of getting more sleep, from maintaining a strong immune system to improving our academic performance, but how often do we listen to this advice? How many times have you stayed up late finishing a paper? We’re all guilty of not prioritizing our sleep. We encourage you to develop a sleep routine that you can stick to. By getting a quality night’s sleep you will be able to tackle your workload more efficiently.
Stay active
We encourage you to take some time each day to be physically active, whether it’s a simple walk outside with a friend or visiting the Rec Center. Physical activity can improve your mood, lower your stress and can be a great break from studying.
Prioritize your work
Organize your work in a meaningful way based on when projects, papers and other assignments are due. Recurring things like homework and studying are easier to schedule ahead of time, but sometimes papers and projects can sneak up on you. Stay on top of your syllabus and prioritize assignments and projects that will impact your grade the most! Once you check those big items off, you’ll feel much more balanced and relaxed. Make sure to use your planner/calendar to note important dates for the semester.
Avoid procrastination by working ahead
In a similar way, prioritizing work will help reduce procrastination. Procrastination is an easy trap to fall into. By putting assignments off until the last minute, it’s easy for your to-do list to become longer and more overwhelming. Break projects into smaller, managable tasks to help you get ahead on your readings, papers and assignments. That way, if you get a spontaneous invitation to go get ice cream you can go without having to worry about getting homework done.
