How to Manage Your Student Work-Life Balance

Every college student knows the rule of the three S's: studies, sleep, and social. They say you can only pick two, forcing you to let the third dwindle and decay. It's a testament to the fact that a whopping 64% of students will drop out of their studies due to mental health issues.

Thankfully, our society is beginning to recognize the value of a work-life balance. But this doesn't just apply to those who have already entered their careers. Student burnout is a very real thing that can devastate a successful degree.

If you find that your student workload is too much, know that this is not the way it has to be. There is a way to equalize your study schedule with time for decompression.

Join us for an in-depth guide on how to create an optimal work-life balance and keep student motivation high.

Why It's Important to Have a Work-Life Balance

If you visit the temple in Delphi, you will find three maxims carved into the pediment. One of these maxims continues to be a favorite to this very day: nothing in excess.

In other words, everything in moderation. From the Ancient Greeks to our modern day, people understand the importance of balance.

There is nothing you can do nonstop that will ultimately be good for you. Even things that are great for your health, such as exercise, can be detrimental in excessive quantities.

However, too many people mistakenly believe that pushing yourself to the limit at all times is good. That is simply not the case. Everyone needs breaks, and everyone needs relaxation.

The Risk of Burnout

The concept of burnout is relatively new in our public discourse. In simple terms, burnout is when you exhaust yourself after long periods of difficult and stressful work--i.e. weeks or months. However, this is more than just your average fatigue.

The problem with burnout is that it is very, very difficult to bounce back. It is an exhaustion that is bone-deep. Some people may need months or years to recover after burning out.

This could deal a devastating blow to your education and career prospects. Many people who suffer burnout are forced to drop out or fail their classes. Even if they make a quick recovery, the damage is done.

Luckily, almost every case of burnout can be avoided. It is a matter of establishing the work-life balance we mentioned earlier. With all of this in mind, let's discuss some techniques you can use to maintain a work-life balance.

Develop Time Management Skills

Time is your most valuable resource - and the one you cannot get back. Using your time wisely is not just important for your education. This is a skill that you will use in every aspect of your life for years to come.

Everyone does time management differently, whether with schedules or planners. Use the method that works best for you.

Effective time management is about ensuring you stay on task and prioritize what is most important. In addition to this, it is about setting realistic periods of time for each task. Having disjointed, random study sessions simply will not be as effective.

For example, you might study for five hours one day and then two hours the next. You feel good about the extra long study session, but in the end, it just exhausts you and makes your next session less productive. Therefore, it would make more sense to have 2-3 hour sessions on a more consistent basis.

Another part of time management is reining in your procrastination. If you let time get away from you by doing frivolous, unimportant things, your time usage will suffer accordingly.

Last but not least, you need to have regular breaks. And that brings us to the next point.

Take Regular Breaks

Think of your mind like a car. It can go at incredible speeds for long periods of time. But at some point, it needs to stop for gas.

Likewise, your brain needs rest. It's unreasonable to expect yourself to study nonstop without regular breaks. Just like the car, your brain needs to refuel, and its fuel is rest.

To be clear, it is important to get into a flow state whenever you can. Regardless, you can still incorporate frequent breaks into your study habits.

Make these breaks more effective, too. Go for a walk, do some push-ups, or meditate. Don't stress out your brain by doom-scrolling on social media for fifteen minutes.

Consider using tried and tested techniques, such as the Pomodoro technique. Or, simply take breaks whenever you feel that you need them. This allows you to study for longer, sustained periods of time in a healthy way.

Don't neglect big breaks, too. Taking a day off on the weekend will be helpful to recharge your batteries. Take full advantage of any holidays or summer breaks to get longer periods away from your studies.

Vary the Way You Spend Your Free Time

So let's say you've got the above techniques down pat. But once your free time arrives, you use it to binge-watch TV or play video games for long, long hours. There's nothing wrong with doing these things, per se, but again: moderation.

You should shake things up so that you don't get stuck in the same rut during your relaxation time. This keeps your mind active and engaged without putting more stress on it.

You can go on a hike, exercise at the gym, or take a trip out of town. Consider giving back to the community, such as by volunteering. Try new hobbies, sports, and social activities.

Too often, people relax "too hard." They go from hard-core studying to sleeping in and doing nothing. Keeping your brain actively engaged while relaxing is helpful to "keep the engine warm" before the next study session.

Find an Easy Part-Time Job

A significant portion of enrolled students works part-time while studying. Some even work full-time while studying part-time. Unfortunately, a stressful job can degrade your performance in your studies.

If possible, find work that doesn't stress you out more than you need to. For example, consider working at your school's testing center or in the library. This allows you to get paid while doing an easy, quiet job that won't drain you.

Make a concerted effort to apply for scholarships and grants. If you make enough through this avenue, it will allow you to work less and study more. You'd be surprised how many scholarships you can get without getting a full ride.

Avoid Multitasking at All Costs

More and more, evidence is suggesting that multitasking is not effective in the slightest. And yet most people continue to do it.

In the majority of cases, this multitasking is studying while using your phone. You might be texting friends, listening to music, or checking notifications from social media as you read and do homework. Sadly, this is a habit you will have to kick.

Your brain does not work well with doing multiple tasks at once. Sure, it is technically capable of doing so. Many people boast about being able to carry out multiple tasks at once.

But understand that while you can multitask, it makes you far less efficient in everything you do. It's better to devote yourself entirely to one task at a time. You will notice that you have better concentration and will do a better job overall.

Work Smart, Not Hard

It's easy in our productivity-driven society to mistake hard work for good work. We assume that putting our nose to the grind is evidence that what we did was effective. But that's not necessarily the case.

Often times this is about learning little, effective ways of doing things. For example, learning how to skim text rather than reading through it. You can pick up the important, relevant bits without slogging through the entire text.

If you are learning a language, you might be using rote memorization to remember words with flashcards. Instead, you could be using an app that uses algorithms for maximum memorization. You could be applying mnemonic memorization techniques on your walk to and from class.

If you work smart, you may often find that you spend less time studying, not more. The key is to be as effective as you possibly can with the time you have.

Learn More Vital Studying Skills With Honor Society

If you want to avoid catastrophic student burnout, then you need to create a work-life balance for your studies. This includes cultivating skills like time management, taking breaks, and avoiding multitasking. At the end of the day, it is about embodying the Greek maxim "nothing in excess."

The Honor Society is here to help you achieve your greatest potential as you work toward your career field. Join our society and get exclusive access to scholarship listings hosted by the Honor Society Foundation, discounted health plans, and tons of useful information to boost your studies.