Although heading off to college is an exciting time, you will quickly find that there are many people and activities aside from your academic workload that are vying for your time and attention. It’s important to find a balance between academics and things like extracurricular activities, your social circle, friends and family back home and work.
Finding that balance is one of the most difficult tasks to tackle but here are 5 tips that will help you achieve the life balance you need.
- Set realistic goals
The most important step in achieving a life balance is setting realistic goals. Setting unrealistic goals is a recipe for disaster when you realize that they can’t be attained as easily as you thought, if at all. Setting goals that are too high will wear you out and leave you feeling frustrated and disappointed at your failure to achieve them. However, setting goals that are too low is also counterproductive. You’ll be left with more time on your hands and feel empty when you’ve achieved them. Set moderate goals that aren’t unrealistic, but are attainable with some effort and dedication. - Study effectively
College education is about more than spending countless hours studying, so much can be learned outside of the classroom and away from textbooks. Develop good study habits to make your study time more effective so that you can spend more time engaging in extracurricular activities that will enhance your college experience. - Eat healthier
Maintaining a more balanced diet is a simple way to help you enhance your lifestyle. By avoiding junk food and eating healthier will improve your academic performance, enhance sleep and leave you more energized. - Simplify
Don’t overwhelm yourself by taking on too many tasks or responsibilities at once. It’s common for students to bite off more than they can chew, but know that simplifying will enhance your life balance. You won’t constantly be preoccupied with trying to manage an intense schedule with no breaks. Learn to say no, although it’s hard sometimes a simple ‘no’ can save you from additional stress. - Don’t sweat the small stuff
It’s a lot easier said than done, but learning to let things go can alleviate a lot of unwanted stress. Missing a few classes, not making it to every club meeting or forgetting to do laundry are minor things that shouldn’t cause stress. Don’t let minor things impact your life in ways big things should.
Does your academic workload, extracurricular activities and social life consume all of your time but you still need some extra cash to help you get through the semester? Then it’s time to Go Commando with our free Go Commando app available in the App Store and Google Play. Go Commando connects you with brands that post tasks that can be accepted and completed at your convenience and done right from campus. Once you’re done, submit the work and get paid. It’s that simple!
