5 Ways to Create a Healthy Work, Life, Balance.

#work #life #college #worklifebalance #stressfree #advice

Let’s face it, in today’s society we’re all trying to make something of ourselves. We’re trying to figure out life, school, work, relationships etc. and all that can become quite stressful and exhausting! Being that I’ve been working (two jobs) and going to school full time for the past four years, I wanted to share some tips that has gotten me through the work week, through the semester and most importantly through life.

Grab a calendar, grab your phone, grab a planner, grab something that will allow you to write down important dates, your work schedule etc. I usually fill in my calendar a month ahead of time (I’m old school, so I have a physical planner) everything is written on my calendar: from my work schedule, to due dates on assignments, hang out sessions, bills everything! I promise this will help to keep you sane and calm. It lets you know what you're up against each week and the type of work you need to put in. Make a weekly to do list along with monthly and weekly goals to help keep yourself motivated. I will post a detailed planner blog in the future. My planner has helped me to stay on track with some many events that were happening in my life, I check my schedule as soon as I wake up and right before I go to bed. Life works a whole lot better when some aspects of it are predictable.

I put this very high on the list because self care is extremely important. I take at least one day out of the week to fully relax and unwind. That means lounging around, sleeping, reading whatever requires minimal effort. In addition, once every two weeks, I treat myself to a spa day and shopping day, if you follow me on Instagram you’ve probably seen my “don’t text or call me unless you're trying to pay a bill, it’s self care day”story posts. Self care is all about taking time for you, obviously the activities I engage in and call self care might be different from yours. The key is taking time to do something that you really enjoy and something that calms you and alleviates stress. I also suggest listening podcasts, journaling, mediating, exercise, going to bed early etc. Make sure you are constantly rewarding yourself!

Raise your hands if you are guilty of procrastinating? I am 1000% a procrastinator and honestly, I surprise and frustrate myself every time. You would think that since I plan everything out, procrastinating wouldn’t exist in my world but it’s quite the opposite. It’s so easy to fall in the trap of “oh I can do it tomorrow” or “it’s not due until next week” or “I can sleep in 10 more minutes before I have to go”. Truth is, not procrastinating will actually alleviate so much stress and create more space for free time. I know it’s easier said than done but really try to told yourself accountable every time you get that thought. Think of how much time you’ll be saving if you just got it done today!!

Having people around to support you when your losing, is just as important as having people around you when you're winning. Having that friend to really pull you out of the mucks or push you that extra mile when you feel like giving up, can really make a huge difference. Also, having that friend to go out with and celebrate both minor and major wins is a plus! You don’t have to have an army behind you but have one or two people that you know you can vent to without judgment or lean on, when you need that extra support.You'll be really surprised what a little back up can do for your self esteem and peace of mind!

Everyone has a different set of priorities for me it’s school first, then work, then play. My education is of upmost importance to me, thus any job that I take on has to work with my school schedule and understand this fact. I will also be that person who goes to clock in instead of partying. Figure out what’s important to you, at the end of the day it all about what gets you closer towards checking off those big goals. It's also about what can you do today in order to get to a better greater tomorrow. Sometimes prioritizing might mean losing sleep or missing out on a huge concert, what matters is that you are choosing to indulge in activities and behaviors that are internally and externally beneficially.

What do you do to create a healthy work, life, school balance? Create a Forum under the “Nelly x You” tab or comment on this post and let’s discuss!