By Annie Phan | @deca.annie | Decatur High School, WA
DECA season has officially started! This can mean entering a stressful time in your life or learning to balance everything. For all of the DECA seniors out there, hang on, you’ve got this.
When you have schoolwork, DECA, extracurriculars, and college applications, times can get tough and overwhelming. It’s difficult to balance your “business” all at once, but everything is a learning experience. Some might say that “busy people make time”, and you should believe it.
Here are some big tips to help you balance your “business” without getting burnt out.
Use a Calendar
This tip is very straightforward but EFFECTIVE. Put everything you need to do on your calendar and organize each activity using colors. Depending on when the deadlines for each task are, spread out your tasks so that you’re not doing things at the last minute and can ensure quality in what you do.
Be realistic and ask yourself, “Are you really going to finish this in time?” If not, then adjust your calendar and give yourself more or less time depending on the task. You can plan out your day on your calendar and keep it on your home screen of your phone and set reminders.
Stop Scrolling
Short-form videos and algorithms are designed to keep you hooked. Break the habit of doomscrolling and do something productive or enjoyable that stimulates your brain. This could be playing an instrument, exercising, baking, reading, etc.
Scrolling on social media gives you a dopamine rush, so instead of wasting time scrolling, do something else that gives you that dopamine rush, something that makes you happy. This way, you can get something done while you take a break from your work.
Prioritize
Think about the most important tasks. Which ones have a closer deadline and which ones are more important and need more time? An example would be college applications.
You want to put a lot of time and effort into making sure you’re putting your heart and soul into these applications to show who you are. You want to set aside time to work on them every day so you’re not submitting them at the last minute! If you’re working on something that is difficult, move on to your next priority and come back. Some things don’t need to be perfect; you just need to make sure you’re understanding what you’re doing and do it well.
Save these tips to help you achieve your Next Big Thing this year.
