Work-Life Balance As a Student
By: Rhobie Toussaint
As a student, it can be hard to establish a good work-life (or work-life-school) balance. Juggling assignments, work, a social life, and additional responsibilities does not always come easy. In my experience, there’s a level of discipline needed, in addition to knowing what your priorities are, to have said balance. And while being disciplined and prioritizing is not always easy, I personally need them for the sake of my sanity.
Having a good work-life balance comes with its set of benefits. It can help you prevent burnout, maintain your mental health, and show up well within the different areas of your life. For example, if you are always working for a job and don’t set enough time for your classwork, your grades may start to slip. Or, if you don't make enough time for rest and relaxation, you may find yourself stressed and with lower productivity levels.
Since maintaining a work-life balance holds a lot of importance, I wanted to share a few tips on how you can establish (or maintain) this balance in your life. I also recognize that doing these things can be easier said than done as people have different life circumstances that may force them to work a lot more or have numerous responsibilities, but maybe there is something from this post that people can consider applying to their lives.
Take care of yourself. I cannot express how important this is. Prioritizing your physical, emotional, and mental well-being will play a great role in helping you navigate a busy life. It will be difficult to give your 100% into other things if your own needs aren’t even being met. Taking care of yourself can look like making a concerted effort to get 8 hours of rest, going on walks and exercising consistently, or taking time to do your hobbies.
Establish a routine that works for you. Having a level of consistency in your life can give you one less thing to stress about. Additionally, creating a healthy, consistent routine can help you feel better, focus, and have a sense of stability. Consider what morning and nightime routines will help you start and end your day right. For example, you can start your day by meditating or journaling to ground yourself.
Communicate effectively and protect your peace. The truth is, If you’re a busy student sometimes life gets intense and you can't show up the way you can. Sometimes you need to say no in order to get an important task done. There may also be moments when you need to take a step back to recharge, and others when you need help. Communicate these things with the people around you as a way to be both proactive and considerate.
Be organized. If you aren’t keeping track of what’s going on in your life and the matters you need to attend to, it will be difficult to feel balanced. You might just end up spending more
time trying to remember what you need to do and catching up on missed deadlines than anything else. Some tools you can utilize to be more organized are planners, calendars, and/or to do lists. You can take some time at the beginning of each week and/or day to list out, plan, and prioritize your tasks, and then adjust as needed. Also, try decluttering your workspace to limit distractions.
Don’t forget to have fun. A life that’s all work and no play sounds a bit dull. Remember to take the time to spend time with those you love, do the things you love, and have some fun. Enjoy life.
I hope these tips were helpful or resonated in some way. As you try to maintain a work-life balance, remember that there may be setbacks and challenges along the way. There may be moments where it feels like there is no balance at all. And that's okay. Recognize where you are, how you feel, and what you need in those moments, and go on from there. You got this.
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