How to Balance School, Leadership and Free Time

Being a student balancing work and social life may be challenging at times. Knowing when to prioritize certain assignments or events comes with some obstacles. As a busy student myself, I have learned some key points that make my day-to-day easier to manage.

School

School is no easy task when it comes to juggling classes, projects and tests. Then on top of that, is everything else going on in my life! School has always been my biggest priority when it comes to planning my day. It is so easy to put school aside to do other necessary tasks or even just wanting to go to the beach with your friends. It has taken a few years for me to find the right balance, but I feel I have found the intricate balance between my school work, while having time for other daily activities. While it might be challenging, here are some strategies I've learned to complete schoolwork, so I have time for other extracurriculars.

1. Having a calendar- Writing down homework assignments and meetings makes it so much easier to plan my day. Having a set schedule and knowing when assignments are due, makes it easier for me to plan out my week and know what must get done and what can wait. Some of my favorite planners that I use are Google Calendar and MyHomework. MyHomework specifically tackles all school related planning. Which includes putting in class schedules and a task list which informs me what assignments I have completed, are upcoming or late.

2. Eliminate distractions- This is a tough one, but putting your phone on "Do Not Disturb" eliminates any distractions that may bring me away from my homework or studying. Not only will I get work done quicker, but the quality of work will be much greater.

3. Reward yourself!- This might seem obvious, but giving yourself a reward after completing a task gives you a higher incentive to get it done quicker. Or if you get an A on a test, you can reward yourself for all the hard work and studying that you put in.

Leadership

I currently have an exective position in my sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and my job is to plan all sisterhood events to bring together the chapter. This is an extreamly important role to me and I want to provide the best experience to my sisters. With that, this positon can be very time consuming and may be a challenge when working around school and my social life. One thing that has allowed me to suceed in this role, while also being able to accomplish my school work is to ASK FOR HELP. This may seem super cliche, but utilizing those around you and knowing when you need help is so important. I have learned that I only have so many hours in a day. If I'm unable to fulfill some of my leadership responsibilities, I can ask help from my leadership team, allowing me to complete my schoolwork and tasks. Over time, I realized that seeking support is actually a strength. It’s allowed me to better manage my time, reduce stress, and stay on top of my responsibilities.

This is me putting on a pickleball tournament for my sorority, while also staying active.

Free Time

Free time is the hardest of them all to accomplish because if you're like me, I always feel like I have things that could be getting done. It may feel unnecessary, but providing yourself alloted time to do what you want, is crucial to living a happy life. Burnout is a growing epidemic in the U.S. as it is leading to many mental illnesses. Burnouts can be caused by high amounts of continuous stressors and feeling overwhelmed by heaving workloads. The solution to avoid this is making sure to give yourself free time to do what makes you happy. Here are a few things I do to avoid burnout.

1. Daily workout schedule: I always give myself an hour everyday to do some sort of physical activity. I listen to my favorite music or podcasts (my favorite is Pretty Basic, a women empowered podcast) and completly seperate myself from the school or leadership tasks I must complete that day.

2. Go to coffee with my friends- My absolute favorite thing to do is get coffee and socialize with my best friends. I recently completed a project for my Consumer Behvior class about the Consequences of Coffee, which has tought me to be more mindful of where I buy my coffee. I have enjoyed teaching my friends and finding new places to explore that practice sustainable procedures.