How to Balance it All: Fun, Work, andSelf-Care

By: Lucy DiChristina

As the end of the school year approaches, I find myself trying to balance every aspect of my life without the time and availability to achieve everything I want. I feel the time with my friends dwindling down, my assignments are getting more intense, the weather is getting nicer, and I am trying to do everything thrown my way. Trying to push yourself to achieve every little thing can be exhausting, and honestly, completely impossible. However, there are some helpful methods to aid in ending the school year just as successfully as you want in all aspects of life.

Prioritize Sleep

When your days are packed with plans, it is easy to try to cut down on sleep by 1-2 hours, trying to achieve more in the day. However, as soon as sleep begins to decrease, productivity, energy, and health decrease drastically along with it. Even though this is an attempt to make more time, it is actively harming the overall lifestyle. It is important to not let a busy schedule interfere with the needed 8 hours of sleep.

Use a Planner

The easiest way to make sure you are achieving everything you set out to do is to build a

planner filled with all the different little and large goals you have. I have always found that keeping a planner has made me far more stress-free and more productive. I fill my planner with a variety of things from upcoming assignments to the time I want to spend with my friends and social events that I need to attend. In addition to this, crossing items off a list will never not feel fulfilling.

Don’t Set Expectations Too High

The largest contributor to disappointment is setting expectations higher than what someone can achieve. It is undeniable that as the year comes to a close, there are a multitude of events without the time to participate in all of them. We all have to remember that we are human and cannot accomplish everything that is offered to us. It is unhealthy to express this reality by being disappointed in yourself and the things you are able to accomplish.

Find Time for Yourself

When you are trying to squeeze so much in a day, it is easy to sacrifice time for yourself

because it does not feel as productive or important. Everyone takes care of themselves in their own way. No matter how you do it, the important part of taking care of yourself is making sure you are taking time to figure out what you need and that those needs are being fulfilled.