University life can be both exciting and terrifying (often at the same time!). Juggling lectures, academic commitments, and deadlines alongside friendships, relationships, sports, societies, and part-time employment can often make striking the balance between work and life feel impossible.
University life can be both exciting and terrifying (often at the same time!). Juggling lectures, academic commitments, and deadlines alongside friendships, relationships, sports, societies, and part-time employment can often make striking the balance between work and life feel impossible.
This blog will give you some top tips on managing your time, and helping you find a balance to wobble less, and smile more!
Mastering time management!
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Investing in a physical or digital planner is a great way to allocate specific time slots for your timetabled contact hours, independent study, work, and extra-curriculars, as well as finding times for breaks and leisure.
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You can also avoid telling yourself “The due-date is the do-date” by adding your deadlines into your calendar and breaking down larger assignments into smaller, more manageable sections. Hold yourself accountable by setting realistic weekly goals to help you stay on track and prioritise important tasks.
- Minimizing distractions, whether that’s turning off notifications on your phone, or using apps such as “Forest”, can help you avoid procrastination and make the most of your time.
- As part of prioritising your workload, it’s also important to know your own limits and not overload yourself. Being able to say no to over-committing yourself and your calendar is critical in achieving a healthy work-life balance.
Taking Care of Yourself
It’s not all about being an academic weapon! Building “me-time” into your week is one of the most important ways of checking in on yourself and practicing mindfulness. Whether that’s unwinding before bed with a cosy book or TV show, or making time for the things you enjoy, including hobbies, sport, and seeing your friends, taking time to rest is essential in steering clear of burnout.
Seeking Support…
Term 1 can be an overwhelming time, but rest assured you’re not alone in this feeling. Reaching out to someone you trust to talk about how you’re feeling and come up with an action plan can make you feel a lot better!
The University’s Wellbeing services (wellbeing@rhul.ac.uk), and the SU’s Advice Centre (advice@su.rhul.ac.uk) are also on hand to offer support.
Check out our Wobble Week page to find fun and relaxing events as we approach the halfway mark of Term 1!