Balancing studies with socials can be a hard task. Sometimes it may even seem impossible.

But there are steps you can take to help achieve a healthy balance, allowing you to focus on your studies, whilst also maintaining a healthy social life. I must admit, I've always struggled to balance the two. It was either I socialised too much that my studies were affected, or I studied too much that my social life got affected. And unfortunately, sometimes things pop up out of the blue which can't be helped, and then you're left behind on your work and up to your head in stress.

Social over Studies

It's a steep and perilous fall. Especially with social media becoming a more prominent aspect of our lives. A friend calls and asks you to go out for a bit. Why not? "I'll just do my work later". You've come back and it's too late, so you just go to bed. Days become cyclical and nothing ever gets done.

Studies over Social

You decide to put your head down and focus completely on work. That doesn't sound too bad, right? Well, in my case I've lost good friends, missed opportunities to connect with other people, and even forgot how to communicate with others properly. Though my grades were getting better, my mental health depleted, and my social life was non-existent.

Tips for a healthy balance

Looking back at past experiences, I think I might have some tips to maintain a healthy balance between studying and socialising:

• Don't over-work. Studies show that working for a long period of time reduces focus and intake of information. So, I found that working for 30 minutes and taking a 5-minute break helps me focus more. Better yet, speak to a friend during your break and let them know how work is going.
• Don't over-prioritise. The truth is, socialising and studying are both important aspects of life. Both teach you important life lessons and help you develop key characteristics such as confidence, determination, communication, etc. However, I recommend that you finish your work before you go out with your mates so that you can have fun without the stress of any incomplete work.
• Deal with it. It sounds tough but the truth is, sometimes things happen unexpectedly, and you begin to over-stress and panic. You just have to deal with it and accept that nothing will improve unless you work on it. I usually sit in bed and summarise everything that needs doing and begin to work on it. Remember to explain to your friends what the situation is and you can even arrange a meet-up after you finish. This gives you the determination to complete your work so that you can have fun later.