The student struggle: How to maintain and manage a work-life balance

University is a place where students can study, socialise and work. In fact, most of the time, not doing at least two of these things gets you labelled a ‘loner’ or ‘lazy’. So how do students manage all of this? Why put so much on their plates, knowing it will be difficult to handle?

Well, I’ll start with the latter. As a final-year student, I experience a lot of stress in many areas of my life. I’m always thinking about graduation and making sure to apply for jobs whenever I come across one, and applications are often very time-consuming. On top of that, there’s work, both academic and professional, as well as socialising and UWAC. All of this adds up, leaving me with little time for hobbies. Even as I write this article (in split screen, past its deadline), I have my academic research on the left.

With the Christmas break upon us and deadlines waiting on the other side, it’s important to take time for yourself

Another reason that students take on so much work is the dreaded FOMO. While, at times, it can be a great motivator to get out of the house, it’s mostly unpleasant. For those unfamiliar, FOMO is defined as the fear of missing out, be it on social events, opportunities, or trying new things. This, paired with any other sources of pressure, causes students to try to do as much as possible in a short span of time.

But why is this a bad thing? Well, without proper management, juggling so many things at once can lead to burnout and even fuel feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, or depression. Feeling like you can’t take a break, or that you don’t deserve one, can be very detrimental. So now I’ll answer my second question: how do we manage all of this?

My first piece of advice, something easier said than done, is to prioritise yourself. With the Christmas break upon us and deadlines waiting on the other side, it’s important to take time for yourself. This is something I’ve recently started doing, and it definitely makes studying more enjoyable because I still get time to pursue hobbies or even watch a movie. This week, I decided not to cram in some essay writing in between work and lessons, which has left me feeling more refreshed and given me time to really think about my essay and how to approach it.

Another helpful thing to do is to try and ground yourself. This can be through methods such as meditation, exercise, or even just switching off your phone and sitting outside to take in the sounds around you. It’s easy to get caught up in all the things you need to do and deadlines you have to meet. Before you realise it, your mind is always in the future and never present in the current moment.

You don’t have to go to every social event if you don’t want to, or apply to every job you find just because you see others bragging on LinkedIn

In terms of a more practical tip, I find it super helpful to divide my work into smaller tasks that are more manageable than the whole. Whenever I sit down to write an essay, I tell myself that I only need to write 500 words instead of the full 4,000. This means that I can actually enjoy the rest of my day and write a good-quality 500 words rather than an entirely weak essay. This can also work with other activities, such as socialising. Instead of planning out an event or trying to squeeze something in, it can be enough to just chat with a few friends. This way, you can also reduce the feeling of FOMO.

My final piece of advice is: don’t forget to have fun. University should feel like a pleasant experience, something you can look back on and remember fondly. You don’t have to go to every social event if you don’t want to, or apply to every job you find just because you see others bragging on LinkedIn. One of the benefits of university is that there are many support systems available, so you don’t have to deal with everything on your own. If you ever feel that you can’t find the right work-life balance and need some extra help, make sure to use everything the university provides to your advantage.