With winter sports starting, exam season coming up, and pressure building on students, balancing all of this can be a lot. As someone who’s had a job for over a year while playing two sports, I have been able to figure out some tricks in maintaining a good mentality and balance.
Study sessions
A weekly tradition my friends and I have started this year is that once a week, typically on Sundays, we meet up at a Starbucks and do homework together. Having a scheduled time when you know for sure you will get your work done before the upcoming week can help you feel on top of your schoolwork. Not only do you get to see and hang out with friends during this time, but you can get caught up on work, study for upcoming tests, and have a group to help you when you get stuck on questions or papers. Having a Starbucks drink is always a good plus side to this system, too.
Showers after practices
Getting home after practice and immediately getting in the shower leaves more room for homework and time to yourself. I know your phone looks tempting to scroll on, and your floor looks nice to lie on, but taking a shower first thing will relieve stress and your just freshly worked out muscles, limiting the soreness for the next day. After your shower, feeling fresh and relaxed, starting homework can be a ton easier.
Make a good playlist
Good music is an easy way to get completely locked in on your homework. I find that every time I have good music playing, I can find myself writing with an easier flow or answering math problems more quickly. Working in a chill environment and getting work done efficiently leaves more room for better time management, allowing more time for being with friends, family, and yourself. Good music can also help relieve some of the stress that comes with being a high school student and athlete.
Planning
Laying out a schedule with school, sports, and homework can help you feel more like you have more control in your life. Getting yourself a planner or using an online one to put your schedule down is a good way to get a system that works for you. Feeling crowded with everything going on can be extremely stressful, but having that structure in your life can reduce that stress. Seeing your plan for the day, week, or month gives more focus on what needs to get done. Having the schedule will also improve your time management and increase your productivity. Breaking up your time into specific, smaller, and more manageable blocks for things such as studying, practice, and working allows you to work more efficiently and deflect feeling overwhelmed and overly stressed.
Self-care
I know practices and shifts at work make it feel like sleep should be traded for finishing homework, but getting eight to nine hours of sleep is more important overall. Putting yourself and your health first will only help your performance in school and sports. Running off little sleep just to finish those last few hundred words or math problems will end up hurting you more than helping. Without sufficient sleep, it is a struggle to stay focused, your memory will be more hazy, and your reaction time will be slowed.
This time of the school year can be particularly stressful; finding balance between it all can help relieve some of that stress. Whether it’s planning study sessions with friends or making a good playlist to listen to while working, finding these ways to help manage everything will increase your performance and mentality in school, sports, and work.
