Author: Shekoni Nimotalahi, BSc Computer Science.
1.Being a full-time student and practically a full-time intern leaves my weekdays packed and my weekends are spent resetting for a new week, which includes more work like chores, grocery shopping and the likes.
2. As much as I love writing codes and creating reports at work, some days I sit at my desk, home and office, staring out the window and dreaming of a week on the beach, pina colada in one hand and scrolling TikTok in the other or even just a chill weekend with friends, having fun and not thinking about my python code I must debug.
3. Not being able to relax and unwind or even constantly having that feeling of longing can lead to a decrease in productivity, increased stress and fatigue, and a higher risk of burnout. It can also negatively impact mental and physical health, as well as job satisfaction and motivation. Eventually, one feels like they can’t even excel at the simplest of tasks.
4. This is where the term work-life balance comes into play. Here, I will be assisting you on ways to find a balance that keeps you feeling productive and yet you still have that much desired break and keeps that smile on your face. First things first, prioritize tasks, focus on the most important tasks first to use your time efficiently and always take break between tasks which help to refresh your mind. Next, set clear boundaries, define specific work hours and stick to them to avoid work spilling into your personal time, I know most time we want to be seen as the best at things but also remember that you can’t do everything. One of my favourite things to absolutely do is travel and explore but because of timing and schedule I can’t do that so often. So, I plan ahead of time, two months for major trips and maybe two weeks for weekend trips, that way I have something to look forward to, some form of motivation. Balancing work, study, and social life is all about managing time and energy wisely, use of tools and apps like calendars, to-dos and reminders can help in keeping your schedule balanced, Planning time with friends and family, somewhat like work appointments, can also help in ensuring you keep up with the people you care about.
5. Social life is much more than just friends and family, it is also you. Find something you like to do that can fit into your daily scheduling that would not feel like a task. My favourite time of the day is the 2 hours I get to spend at the gym, and on weekends I like to bake the most random recipes for myself, no pressure at all just me, my music and the chaos of the kitchen.
Life can seem so overwhelming when you think about your goals and how you want your life to go, but I’d say get out of the bubble which is your mind and start focusing on what is important…YOU, cause in the end it all boils down to you. Remember , Take care of yourself.
