Most of us feel that there is never enough time to complete everything we set out to do in a day, and our stress levels reflect it. However, a lot of us also feel that if we’re not busy 24/7, we’re clearly not being productive enough. College can be super overwhelming sometimes, but it’s so important to find balance and to know when you’re working yourself too hard. That being said, here are some tips to help you find time for work, studying and hanging out with friends because we can all get a little overwhelmed sometimes.
Get A Planner
It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed when our minds are filled with thoughts about all of the things we still need to do. In fact, when trying to remember everything we have to do, we can focus on the same things over and over and actually create more stress for ourselves. Writing everything down in a planner can help you see exactly what you need to accomplish and plan out when and how you will get it done. Plus, being able to cross out all of your to-do’s as you finish them is extremely satisfying.
Create an Outline of Your Day
Try to sit down each night and create a “road map” of what you want to accomplish the next day. It doesn’t have to be super detailed, but just an outline of what you want your day to look like. Write down when your classes are and when you’ll be working, the things that are constant. Then, fill in the hours between with designated study time. Finally, take that extra time and use it for whatever you want to do, whether it be hanging out with your friends or just sitting in bed watching Netflix. Having a set plan for your day can help you become more productive and alleviate a lot of the stress associated with a busy schedule.
Set Aside Specific Time Each Week to See Friends
Freshman year, my best friend and I used to meet every Wednesday at noon to get lunch together. Since she commuted and I was on campus, it was super hard to find times to meet during the week. But setting aside a weekly time to hang out made it super easy for us to still see each other. Many of us find ourselves trying to make plans with one friend we almost never get to see, and invariably it almost never works out. However, setting aside a specific time, whether that be once a week or once a month, can help us to see friends regularly without the added stress of constantly finding a new time to meet.
Learn That It’s OK to Say No
Many of us, myself included, always feel the need to say yes when our boss asks us to pick up an extra shift at work or when our friends ask us to go out, because what else would we be doing? However, it’s important to take some time off for yourself. In fact, you deserve it. As college students, there is a constant pressure to agree to everything asked of us and worry about our own needs later. This is when burnout happens. Recognize when you need to take some time off for yourself, whether that be to go to the gym, take a nap or watch TV. Taking care of yourself is what allows you to accomplish all the amazing things that you do. Your friends will be going out another time, and your boss will not fire you if you tell them you can’t come in. Just make sure you’re putting yourself first.
Take a deep breath. Everything will work out the way that it’s meant to.