Let me just start by saying that I finished this article all at once because of my own difficulty balancing school and extracurriculars. I don’t think anyone has it completely down, although some people might be better at managing their schedule than others. I believe one of the main issues people

face when it comes to balance is overcoming procrastination. Procrastination is almost like a guilty pleasure; you know you are only wasting time, but it feels so much better to just relax and avoid your responsibilities. However, when you procrastinate, you can’t truly relax because you have that nagging feeling of something needing to be done. Yet still, even with this uncomfortable state of relaxed but bothered, we choose to avoid our work.

Procrastination is a struggle of mine, but I have a mostly successful method to lessen it in my life. When I get home from school or work, I put down my phone, and go straight to a focused workplace. I’ve found it is much easier to force yourself to work right away, rather than trying to get to work out of a relaxed state. If you can achieve this, you can quickly get your school responsibilities out of the way, and have more time and headspace for your extracurriculars. Without the burden of essays and math worksheets in the back of your mind, you can be more present when doing your sport or working a job.

I do want to mention, though, that this method is definitely difficult on its own to follow through with. Sometimes when you finally get home from your activities, you’re tired, and just want to do something mindless. Laying down and scrolling on your phone is so easy, and such a quickly accessible activity. While I do still think it’s much easier to just get straight to work, listening to your body and mind when you think you need a rest is important. If you choose to relax before getting your work done, set a time limit before you lay down. Give yourself thirty minutes or so, and when time is up, get to your schoolwork.

Maintaining a balance between school and extracurricular activities is a difficult task, but not impossible. Try out these few methods, and hopefully you will find a less stressful life is closer than you thought!