Finding free time to do things that I love is an accomplishment I definitely wish I reached more often. As much as I love being involved in school organizations and staying busy, there is just some halo effect about a lazy night watching Netflix or a peaceful morning coffee that drives me to question if I truly love what I’m doing with my time. Usually, it is at these times that I realize what I’m yearning for is not a clear schedule, but a balanced one. With that in mind, I’ve compiled some things that help me find balance when I feel like I’m drowning in commitments.
1. Prioritize What Matters
Determining the things that are most important to you is a huge step in finding balance. If there is something that you love doing but never do it, ask yourself why you aren’t. Have other things slowly taken over time you had set apart for it? Next, determine what you can cut out to get that time back. Are you overly involved in organizations or activities that you aren’t truly invested in? Cutting out clubs or organizations that drain time and don’t add value to your life are a great way to free up more time for yourself or for things that matter to you.
2. Learn Time Management
Once you have prioritized what you are willing to spend your time on and what you have to do, sit down and plan out how you want to do it. Start by investing in a planner or making a bullet journal, and then write out first your class schedule, then fill in priorities, one by one. Make sure to give yourself some empty blocks of time, for when life happens. Block out the time required for each priority, along with homework, school organizations, and “you time.” Then, last but most importantly, stick to your plan! It’s easy to cut yourself some slack when you don’t feel like doing things, but often that leads to giving up altogether.
3. Stay Healthy
Your most important priority should be your health. Spreading yourself thin and not replenishing yourself mentally can lead to unnecessary anxiety and stress, which in turn takes a toll on your physical health. I personally try to unwind every night and watch an episode of Criminal Minds or Friends; it is a great way to get my mind off school so I can sleep. Also, making your physical health a priority is another way to decompress; whether it’s spinning, yoga, body weight workout or cardio, your body will thank you for the extra attention. Lastly, looking after yourself and having some self-care habits will help tremendously in the long run. Sometimes, self-care is simply going to bed a little earlier or saying no to a night out. As much as the #FOMO can be real, your body and mind will thank you.
4. Set Goals in Different Aspects of Your Life
Setting goals is not just something that should be done January 1 when the ball drops. Making and striving towards goals is a great way to bring balance into your life. Most importantly, though, set goals in different areas of life, not just school or health. Not all goals should be school or work-related; you should also have a goal to do things that you love or that brings peace or value to your life. For example, if you have a goal to get a 3.4 GPA, make it a goal to journal, meditate, or workout more often as well. Balancing your goals forces you to balance your life, because your attention is not fixated on only one thing.
As easy as it is to talk about these things, it is so much harder to actually follow through with them. Realizing that life happens is the most important part of bringing balance to your life, because beating yourself up for not reaching a goal is the worst thing you can do to yourself. We should not strive for perfection but for betterment. While having a balanced life is a goal that we can constantly strive towards, perfectly achieving that is impossible – and that’s perfectly okay.