8 Easy Ways to Bring Balance into Your Life

1. Use a calendar/planner to keep track of your days, school work, and home life.

Whether you use an electronic device, a paper calendar, or a white board,  having a place to plan out your days, weeks, and months will give you a better perspective of your overall time management.

2. Plan for sleeping and eating.

When your days get busy, it’s easy to forget to eat or to give up precious minutes (and hours) of sleep. There are only 24 hours in a day, but dedicate some of them [how many?] to sleep. And don’t go too long without a nutritious meal, or your body will be working off of fumes!

3. Get moving!

Whether you participate in team sports, bike riding, after-school walks or something else active, add some exercise or movement into your day. It’s a great way to reduce stress and keep your body healthy.

4. Participate in activities that you enjoy.

Schoolwork and academic success are one part of your experience as a student. Look for activities at school, at home, or in your community that bring you joy, pleasure, and happiness.  You might enjoy sports, reading, singing, or helping others.  Whatever it is, find a way to do it more often.

5. Talk with friends and family.

Engaging in in-person conversations with friends and family allows you to share your experiences in a more meaningful way. It’ll also strengthen your support network which is extremely helpful when major life challenges arise.

6. Consider putting down your devices. Seriously.

While your cell phone, tablet, and computer may be helpful in connecting with others or enjoying other online activities, your device may be taking up a great deal of your time. Use the timer or alarm features to intentionally plan the amount of time you’ll spend on your screens.

7. Reflect on your course selections.

While you do want to challenge yourself with rigorous courses, you need to have balance in your course selections, so that you can be successful in all of them. If you find yourself struggling to keep up with all of your Honors/AP courses, it might be time to talk with your school counselor about an adjustment to your schedule that will work for you.

8. Breathe.

Sometimes when we run from one activity to the next, we are so busy that we forget to take a breath and reflect. Find some time each day to take a few deep breaths. No one can tell!