Striking the Perfect Balance: Managing Extracurriculars and Academics

As said by Jana Kingsford "Balance is not something you find; it's something you create" and that's what I try to do. As someone who is as interested and excited to participate in extracurricular activities as she is to learn new and interesting things it is sometimes tough to manage both academics and the other extracurriculars but with some right strategies and time management, I try to manage both of them.

There are some days where there is simply no time and energy to perform and manage tasks and that's when time management comes into play, it can be the ultimate solution. I personally try to spend my time wisely on essential tasks and if it is not helpful to my tasks or my interests, then I try to avoid it.

Here are some of my tips and advice which I implement myself when I'm running short of time:-

• PRIORITISING MY GOALS: I first identify the tasks that are my priority and which have a deadline that includes both academics and extracurriculars. I try to push and motivate myself to complete these tasks first before diverting my mind to something else.
• MANAGING MY TIME: I try to avoid laziness and procrastination by doing the academics part first and then putting my focus on extracurriculars as that's what I enjoy more.
• CREATING A SCHEDULE: I try to make sure that both academics and other activities stay bifurcated and that there's no clash between my schedules so that I can complete both of them in an ample amount of time without feeling anxious.
• TAKING A LOT OF LOAD: I try not to actively participate in all events at once and try to take one step at a time. Instead of doing everything at once and mugging it all up, I try to participate in lesser events and give my best in them. Apart from that I also make sure I don't come under peer pressure and learn to say no and remain firm on my decisions.
• AVOIDING DISTRACTIONS: Scrolling on reels is one example that proves that once we become addicted to something, it's hard to control it and we don't even realize where the time flies, so it is absolutely very important that we avoid distractions if we want to create a perfect balance between academics and extracurriculars because the more we'll get distracted, the harder it'll become to strike that perfect balance.

In the end I just want to say that as much as it is important to focus on academics and extracurriculars, it is also important to focus on your mental and physical health. So the best way to manage all this is to prioritize time management and give your best in every situation without coming under any pressure and stress as someone has said "You don't have to be perfect; you just have to give your best efforts in every area of your life".