Time management is a common struggle in high school students’ lives. Determined to be active in extracurricular activities, students often overwhelm themselves when not enough time is left for school work. The balance between school and personal life becomes difficult to maintain but can be handled with the right tools.
Organization is an essential mechanism for keeping track of assignments and events. This leads to prioritizing tasks and planning a schedule, which allow efficient completion of duties.
Junior Angela Wong said, “One thing that I value is my planner which helps to organize my work and extracurricular activities. I make a checklist and when I complete an assignment, I always check it off, making it one less task I have to complete.”
To determine the importance of one activity over the other is a challenge, often forcing the student to choose between academic or personal activities.
Junior Nadia Busekrus has made sacrifices with certain values in her life above others.
“My family spends much time together and I plan my academic work around those events. Since I am also heavily involved in my church youth group, I don’t get involved in things I don’t have time for,” she said.
When managed well, involvement in multiple activities is beneficial for the student.
High school counselor, Donna Ramos, said, “Along with looking good for college applications, extracurricular activities keeps your mind and body busy. Extra occupations also define who you are and makes you a well-rounded person.”
Extra activity come with extra work and pressure. Students have limited time to complete tasks, which naturally places stress on the individual. The avoidance of strain and frustration is significant while juggling responsibilities.
Ramos said, “Breathe. Always take a break. Stress affects mood, eating habits, relationships and overall well-being. Your body needs to relax in order to respond appropriately, so it is extremely important to take a step back and calm down.”
Although committing oneself to many activities seems like a monumental effort, time management greatly assists students in the organization of their lives. The overall achievement improves as a result and allows one to be successful.
Wong said, “Once I learned to manage my time wisely, balancing school and my personal life became easier. Staying focused and prioritizing work is the key to my success.”
