KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Learn how to balance between studying, athletics, and life
- Discover the important steps to do it
- Understand why time management is a skill and not a talent
Ever sat down to study and somehow ended up checking your phone “for just two minutes” and suddenly it’s been an hour? Well, you are not alone; a lot of students struggle with time management. Don’t trust me?
According to the American College Health Association, 76.2% of the college students surveyed reported problems or challenges with procrastination. Between classes, assignments, practice, and trying to have a life, students’ time management feels like a joke sometimes.
Teachers suggest working on the schedule, parents advise making the right balance, while others recommend following certain rules, but life isn’t about strict rules or schedules or doing everything perfectly. It’s about finding a pace that works for you. Let’s continue with this article and understand how a student can do this using simple strategies.
The Balancing Act Between Studying, Athletics and Life
I came across Sam in passing, one afternoon on campus. He had a bright headband on — it was a custom pattern, one he specified he ordered through 4inbandana, and appeared weary rather than thrilled. Sam was more than just a student; he captained the team of soccer and served as editor of the yearbook while taking a full academic course load. His schedule was a jigsaw which no one appeared to be any closer to getting in order.
“Tell me your secret,” I spoke, jokingly, “How do you squeeze so much in one life?”
“I don’t know,” he said with almost a half smile. “I am in burnout mode,” they added.
And that’s the real issue for a lot of students — not just doing all the things, but doing them in a sustainable style.
Once we split up our time into three main categories — study, sport/physical activity, and life responsibilities — it’s less complicated to start seeing the holes through which time seeps and then how we can safeguard that which is the highest priority.
Step 1: Spot Your Time Leaks
We all have them — those sneaky windows that erode our day without our even realizing it. Scanning of social media, unplanned stops, frequent task-switching — these are simply a few examples of time leaks.
Here is an experiment to try: For two entire days, be as honest with yourself about your use of time as you naturally can. Jot down the activity that you finish in each 30-minute block.
You might see things like:
- 45 minutes of “checking messages” converted into 2 hours of diversion, indirectly.
- A study session that was supposed to have taken place in the browsing of YouTube instead.
- Downtime was unscheduled napping or scrolling.
This simple little audit can easily show where you’re hemorrhaging your time.
Step 2: Priorities (and Not Simply To-Dos)
Knowing what’s most crucial, then, is more critical even than a seemingly long to-do list. A helpful tool here is the Eisenhower Matrix, grouping tasks into urgent, important, not urgent, and not important.
For example:
- Studying for a test tomorrow? Urgent and essential.
- Cleaning your room? Not exactly something that was “overdue,” but could be penciled in.
- What if you’re replying to “just checking in”- type messages? Not important.
This lets you direct energy toward high-impact tasks — the ones that move you forward, in fact.
Step 3: Create a Weekly Time-Block Schedule
Now that you are conscious of your time leaks and priorities, let’s plan the week out.
Start with fixed blocks:
- Classes
- Training drills
- Commute time
Then add:
- Sleep (absolute necessity)
- Study blocks
- Meals & breaks
Allow for buffer time — the unexpected always happens, and you will feel more confident if there is some time built in to go with the flow instead of feeling anxious.
A helpful rule? Schedule your rest first. If sleep is sacrificed for anything, it will adversely impact your attention and level of energy.
Step 4: Honor Your Energy Highs
And not all hours of the day are the same.
There are people out there who learn more effectively in the mornings. Some pop at night. Listen to what you are naturally drawn to in terms of your own energetic patterns.
When you’re most alert:
- Put your most complicated study tasks (like problem solving or writing) on the schedule first.
- Save simple chores (reading notes, clearing a file drawer) for low-energy times.
That is more productive and less frustrating.
Step 5: Employ High-Impact Studying Techniques
High-impact, no-BS students don’t have time for relatively low-impact study time. Try methods backed by research:
- Pomodoro Technique—25 minutes of dedicated study, followed by a 5-minute break.
- Active recall – Evaluate yourself, don’t just re-read your notes.
- Spaced repetition – review subject matter over ever-increasing periods of time
- 80/20 Rule – find out what is possible to be on the test
These techniques help you to get that much better, that much faster — applying your attention where it will bring about real results.
Step 6: Burnout Is Real, You Don’t Want It
Burnout isn’t just “feeling exhausted.” It’s a condition of chronic stress, with serious outcomes:
- Continued fatigue
- Irritability
- Drop in grades or performance
- Loss of motivation
Student-athletes like Sam often play through pain and exhaustion, thinking it’s just part of the process. But if someone doesn’t properly rest and recover — including getting good sleep and taking breaks — performance erodes.
Restful weekends (and intentional rest time) are more than a luxury; they’re a requirement.
Step 7: Some Example Balanced Schedules for Inspiration
Here’s a common routine for me, balancing study, sport, and life:
Weekday
- 6:30 – 7:30 AM Light recap of flashcards
- 8:00 AM–3:00 PM: Classes
- 3:30–5:30 PM: Training session
- 6:30–8:00 PM: Concentrated study block
- 8:30–9:30 PM: Dinner & unwind
- 9:30–10:30 PM Simple reading or plan review
Weekend
- Morning: Deep study period
- Afternoon: Rest and social time
- Evening: Planning for the upcoming week
These are not hard-and-fast rules — they’re patterns you adapt to your own life.
Step 8: Tools That Work Actually Helpful Stuff
You can make your time management less stressful with the right tools :
- Digital calendars (organize your blocks)
- Habit trackers (track consistency)
- Focus apps (reduce distractions)
- Physical planner (visualize your week)
But either way, it’s consistency, even more than complexity, that counts.
Time Management Is a Skill, Not a Talent
No one wakes up with the innate ability to successfully strike a perfect balance among work, family, spirituality, and money. Or it’s a talent, one you learn through trial and error, by tinkering and giving attention.
Time management, like any useful skill, is something that you are going to have to practice. We’re not going for perfection — or at least we shouldn’t be; the target is consistent progress and sustainable habits that respect your plans as well as your health.
Start small. Track honestly. Plan with purpose. And lastly, remember, balance is not a destination; it’s a continuous practice.
Ans: The biggest mistake students make with time management is trying to do everything at once instead of prioritizing.
Ans: Do it in simple ways like breaking large steps into tiny chunks, setting a strict 5 min timer to just start, and removing distractions like phones.
Ans: This rule simply says a student should study for 9 hours