5 Tips for Managing Your Busy School Life

Have you ever been to the circus? Most of the acts taking place at a circus require skill, concentration, and above all, balance. If college life was a circus act, I think it’ would be plate-spinning. Sometimes you feel like the performer where each plate is something new for you to balance. The new semester is starting up, there’s snow on the ground (in some places!), and  as you get back into your routine the dishes begin to stack up. You have classes to attend, papers to write, or tests to study for. Or maybe you have sports practices or games, a club you participate in, an internship, a job, or any combination thereof. Sometimes you feel like the plate, spinning fast and hoping you don’t fall.

So how do you keep all this up without going insane? As I work to keep the balance myself, here’s some tips I’ve come up with:

1.Prioritize

It sounds simple but it’s not always a simple call to make. Especially when one of your options seems a lot more fun. But sometime you really need to ask yourself, “What’s more important to me right now?” Maybe one of your plates is about to fall or maybe one needs more attention. Maybe you’re even okay with letting one drop. According to popular myth, Abraham Lincoln once said, “If I had 60 minutes to cut down a tree, I would spend 40 minutes sharpening the ax and 20 minutes cutting it down.” You really need to find what works for you. And if it helps, LifeHacker suggests you work backwards. “Start with the due dates, take into account how much effort you need to put into each one and how much input you need from others, and work backwards to find out what you should be working on right now.”

2. Consolidate

According to the Huffington Post, “Consolidation allows you to reduce and organize those millions of thoughts and tasks you have into smaller, digestible chunks.” As much as you can, try to kill two birds with one stone. So you need a job to pay your rent, and you’re trying to puff up your resume? Maybe look for a paid internship. You’ll get experience in your field and still be able to make ends meet. Maybe you want to meet people, but also hone a new skill? Join a club. You can socialize and learn all at once. The less plates in the air, the easier the load.

3. Sleep

I can not emphasize this enough. No matter what is going on in your life, you’re body will feel better if it’s well rested. When you’re busy, it is so easy to convince yourself to stay up late and get up early. Whether it’s “Oh, I’ll just finish one more page,” or “Oh, I’ll just watch one more episode,” it’s easy to lose sleep. But when you make time for it, everything else seems more manageable. According to SUNY Geneseo’s health center, lack of sleep “can contribute to memory problems and difficulty in logical reasoning, it can interrupt physiological processes related to hormone function and blood pressure, and it is associated with decreases in both efficiency and ability to concentrate.” No one can keep spinning forever.

4. Me time

Sometimes you just need to settle down and relax. If you feel like you’re always on the go for someone else, you will burn yourself out. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, take that time to do something that helps you relax. Maybe you meditate, listen to your favorite song, or eat peanut butter crackers. Whatever it is that makes you happy. According to Psychology Today, taking some time to be by yourself improves your concentration and your productivity.

5. Ask for help when you need it

There is nothing more valuable than a good support system. Your friends, co-workers, and professors probably all know the feeling of being overwhelmed. A little talk can go a long way. The John Hopkin’s Center to Eliminate Cardiovascular Health Disparities further explains the need for loved ones, “The support of family and friends during a crisis has long been seen to have a positive emotional effect on people. However, this support also has a physical benefit as well. During stressful times, people tend to experience higher blood pressure and heart rates. However, the presence of friends or family members has been shown to reduce these rates among people during difficult periods.”

So apply these techniques and try your best to keep your plates in the air. Just like a plate-spinning act, once you’ve mastered it, people will be amazed at your talent and dedication. So good luck keeping your balance.