How to Balance School, Work, and Social Life

Attaining a balance between the demands of school, work, and your social life can be a nightmare at times! It doesn’t feel like there are enough hours to cram in studying, socializing, and work, without sacrificing something. Here are three quick tips on finding balance:

1. Schedule time and commit to it

If you say you are going to study for an hour, study! Don’t distract yourself with Facebook, Skype, and texts. Unplug yourself and study. Your one hour of productive study is much better than four hours of kinda-sorta studying.

On the flip side, if you say you are going to have fun for an hour, have fun! Don’t worry about all of the “more productive” ways you could be spending the time. You need to relax, too—and it will actually help improve your overall productiveness if you are happy and refreshed.

 2. Learn to say “No” 

You are the keeper of your time. If you don’t have enough time for everything that is getting thrown at you, it is okay to tell people no. If your boss asks you to tack on extra shifts during your busy time, you are allowed to decline (politely!). Bills must be paid, yes, but first and foremost you are a student! At the same time, it is alright to tell you friends “no” when you are simply too busy.

3. Don’t take on more that you can handle.

You are given a syllabus at the start of the semester that will tell you when you have tests and papers. You know in advance the crunch times of your academic schedule. Don’t over commit yourself to your sorority, fraternity, club, friends, or job when you know you are going to be busy.

What do you do to find balance? Share your tips below or email kbbroderi2007@fit.edu!