For many students, “balance” sounds more like a pipe dream than a guiding principle. Between homework, exams, extracurricular and grades, it’s easy to push your free-time activities to the wayside. You might think that as long as you’re getting good grades and doing well in your classes, you’re good — but that mindset can be very self-destructive. To stay focused and motivated, you need a well-rounded personal life. Finding more balance in your life can help you stay healthy, happy, and energized.
Create exercise routines
Working out is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. It’s a great way to clear your head after a stressful day, helping to improve your focus. And the physical benefits are undeniable — it’s great for strengthening bones, improving muscle tone, and fighting off those pesky colds that tend to spread easily in the winter months.
But as any seasoned workout pro can tell you, working out on your own can be tedious. At first, it’s easy to get excited about a new exercise routine, but after a few weeks, that initial excitement wears off, and it becomes harder and harder to motivate yourself to head to the gym. A great way to avoid this is by finding a workout partner.
Invest in Your Space
The environment in which you live and work significantly impacts your overall productivity. Investing in your environment can be done with either time or money. Investing time in organizing and maintaining your living area is critical to success.
As a student, you should prioritize investing in TTU student housing that is comfortable and provides a safe space for you to live. By investing in this area, you will be able to live in an affordable and convenient place close to campus which means you can walk or use the bus to get to class.
For many students, living on-campus is an option that is not always available. More so, most college students do not like to live with roommates because they feel cramped in their small space and feel as if they are intruding on others’ privacy. The best way to avoid these situations is by getting your own house or apartment close to campus.
Break down Your Work into Manageable Schedules
You have to break down your workload into manageable schedules. This is key – especially if you take a full course load and work on the side. If you have difficulty staying afloat, try taking on fewer courses and slowly expand your schedule as you get accustomed to balancing it all.
Begin the day by making an agenda for your work. When you wake up, look at your schedule and decide how to break it down into a manageable plan for that day. For example, decide which one will be done first if you have two papers due in one week. That way, you can make the other one your “backup” work.
Also, try to schedule breaks in between your classes and other obligations. This way, it’s more likely that you’ll be able to check your emails regularly and manage your time more effectively. It’s also good for mental health – which will come in handy when you’re stressed about school work.
Avoid Stress
Being a student can be stressful. When you have a lot of work, it’s easy to get frustrated and go off your diet. It’s essential to avoid stress during the semester in order to keep your mind clear about studying. Unhealthy eating habits often accompany stress, so ensure you take care of yourself physically and mentally. If you’re having a hard time staying on track, add a bit of exercise during your free time, such as going for a run or doing some yoga. It’s easy to find the time for this when done in moderation.
Stress helps us stay concentrated and aware of all that has to be done. It can inspire you to work harder in class and complete homework and projects on schedule. However, if your stress level becomes more than a motivator, or if pressures are too high or persist too long, you may suffer from stress overload.
Final Thoughts
From my experience, the best way to ensure you don’t trip up is to get clear on what’s most important for you. And then shoot for as much balance as possible. I’m constantly juggling everything because it really comes down to priorities. If you’ve got no time for any kind of social life because you’re always studying or working, then maybe you need to adjust that priority. In my experience, “balance” seems to mean everyone gets what they want and need out of life.
