Finding Balance

Ever since starting school in the end of August I have been struggling with finding balance between the many things going on in my life. Currently, I am enrolled in five classes at school, am a member of 1 club, training for a race, trying to keep my apartment under control, and finding time to be an amazing girlfriend.

I know this may not sound like a lot to some of you, but it is a lot for me right now. I would honestly say the hardest part is trying to find time to spend with my boyfriend. We both have busy schedules and trying to find times that work for both of us have proven to be a struggle so far.

Despite everything going on though, I have been doing pretty well at finding time for everything. It takes a bit of work though, and definitely isn't easy.

Prioritize
On days when I have a million things to do and not nearly enough time to do them all, I sit down and think about the importance of each of the things I need to do. If something isn't "due" for a little while then I can probably get away with postponing it a little bit in order to focus on other more important things. Sometimes I even rank each item based on importance and then complete them in that order. That way I am sure to do the things that really need to be taken care of right away.


Make a schedule
My class schedule is pretty concrete but a lot of other things are not. Meetings can change from week to week and the weather can definitely change all the time. If I make a schedule at the beginning of the week with what I want to complete and when is the best time to tackle that task there is a greater chance of actually getting everything done. For example, if I know that my boyfriend is coming over on Wednesday night but I have a big test on Thursday I make sure I get in enough studying before he comes over so I'm not stressing over my test instead of spending quality time with him.


Be flexible
However, I have to allow myself to be flexible because plans can change very quickly. I hate leaving things to the last minute in case something comes up preventing me from accomplishing whatever I needed to get done. One of my strengths is that I like to get things done well in advance. Then I have more time to do whatever I want and not worry about cutting anything too short.


Realize it is not the end of the world
I think this is the most important part about trying to lead a balanced life. I can get upset about little things pretty quickly but I have been working really hard to not freak out when something doesn't go my way. Sure, a bad grade on an exam cane easily worsen your mood, but it doesn't have to ruin your whole day. Realize that life goes on and you can't win them all.

How do you find balance in a hectic schedule?