As a student, managing school work and extracurricular activities can seem like a daunting task. Balancing both is important, however, as it can provide many benefits, including better life skills, increased motivation, and all-around development. Here are the top eight reasons why balancing school and extracurricular activities is necessary and some tips on how students can effectively manage both simultaneously.
Top Ways to Balance School and Extracurricular Activities
Students can struggle to balance academic and extracurricular activities in International baccalaureate curriculum schools. However, it is essential to make sure that students are able to make time for both. Here are the top ways students can ensure they manage both efficiently:
Prioritize Your Activities
Decide which activities are most important to you, and make sure you focus your time and energy on those.
Set Deadlines
Set concrete goals and deadlines so that you stay on track with all of your activities.
Create a schedule
Plan out your week and allocate specific times for studying and participating in extracurricular activities. Stick to the schedule as much as possible to stay on track.
Break Down Large Tasks
Break down large projects and tasks into manageable chunks. It will help you stay focused and organized.
Set Personal Goals
Create goals for both your extracurricular activities and your classes. Having goals will help you stay motivated and on track.
Set boundaries
Learning rules for yourself will help you make sure you stay on task and focus on what’s important.
Avoid overcommitting
Don’t take on too many extracurricular activities at once. It’s better to do a few things well than many things poorly.
Be Accountable
Have a support system in place to help you stay accountable. This could include family, friends, or even a tutor or mentor.
Don’t procrastinate
Procrastinating will only lead to unnecessary stress, so stay on top of school and extracurricular activities.
Use Time Wisely
Limit the amount of time you tend to spend on technology and social media while studying or doing extracurricular activities. Similarly, use your free time wisely by studying or completing homework during breaks between classes or before extracurricular activities.
Use the resources available to you
Take advantage of tutoring, study groups, and other resources available to help you succeed in school.
Be flexible
Be willing to adjust your schedule or drop an activity if necessary to manage your workload and maintain your grades.
Take Care Of Yourself
Remember to take care of yourself by getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet, and exercising. These will help you stay focused and energized to tackle your school and extracurricular activities.
Stay motivated
And lastly, always remember why you are involved in extracurricular activities and stay motivated to achieve your goals both in school and outside of it.
By following these tips, students will be better equipped to balance school and extracurricular activities.
Why is It Necessary to Balance School and Extracurricular Activities?
International baccalaureate curriculum schools, as well as kindergarten schools in Riyadh, are actively incorporating extracurricular activities as a part of their primary education. Thus, balancing school and extracurricular activities has become even more crucial for students to maintain both a good academic record and a well-rounded lifestyle. Here are the top 5 reasons why it is necessary to balance these two:
1. Enhance Learning Skills
Extracurricular activities help improve the ability to learn by teaching the need for dedication, discipline, focus, and hard work. It helps to improve academic results as students become more efficient and organized when studying.
2. Improve Social Skills
Being involved in different activities provides insights into different groups of people and their beliefs, backgrounds, cultures, and values. It is, therefore, a great way to improve social skills.
3. Foster Creativity
Extracurricular activities often require creative thinking while at the same time teaching responsibility and leadership. It helps to foster creativity and can be essential in some aspects of students’ future lives.
4. Improve Mental and Physical Health
Being involved in activities outside of the classroom can help improve mental health by providing an outlet to express and engage with your passions. Children can learn to make healthy choices while developing better coordination and agility.
5. Increased Motivation
Through extracurricular activities, children can build relationships and discover their passions. It can lead to increased motivation and a better understanding of the importance of setting and achieving goals.
Conclusion
Balancing school and extracurricular activities can be beneficial for children in many ways. It can help them to develop critical life skills, improve their focus and performance in the classroom, and foster positive relationships. The key to balance is getting organized and prioritizing tasks. Having a planner to map out the activities so that there’s no overlap of commitments is a great way to start. It will also help students to stay on top of all the activities.
