Aiming to have more than one event or activity in life can sometimes be difficult. Some people manage easily, naturally finding those time management abilities and organisational skills easy; however, some of us may struggle with this, myself included.
I may not have a job yet, purely as many teens may also relate, but it isn’t easy finding one and hearing back about your CV. This often leaves a lack of motivation to keep applying to countless jobs. Although I do volunteer as a Social Networking Manager for a currently in revamp organisation; so I do have my responsibilities and tasks to keep up with, therefore being my unpaid job.
It is a good asset as an extracurricular that I enjoy. Keeping this role whilst taking A-Levels is something I never doubted about. As an A-Level student with a mindset that keeps constant notes about the future and Universities, the opportunities that will help me along the way are boosted by volunteering and extracurriculars.
A social life is vital for good well-being and arguably also a massive element of development as a teenager. Whether your social life is hanging out with your small group of friends with a shared interest or no interests at all and purely just your own vibes, or going to parties or family events, it is still super important to maintain this while working and studying.

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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)How to Manage Your Priorities
Now, how do I manage to balance these 3 priorities (work, studying, and social life)? Planning and organisation will be your best friends when dealing with multiple scenarios. Having a planner, or even just a note on your phone with times and dates of when things need to be done will be incredibly helpful.
This will give you a visual of keeping track of everything. I like to use a highlight colour code (ie. Blue: within 2 days, green: within 3-5 days, red: 5-7 days). This allows for it to be super clear how long you have until something needs to be completed.
Another technique I like, particularly for shorter tasks and studying, is the ‘Pomodoro method.’ With this method, primarily used for studying, you study for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break, repeating over and over. For me, this timer element helps me actively attempt to beat the clock, giving me motivation and, therefore, making it an effective technique. The 5-minute break allows you to avoid burnout and work more effectively.
Thirdly, grouping your tasks together when possible will also make it easier to complete a multitude of tasks, whether these are academic or hobby tasks. Anything of a similar category can be categorised/ sub-sectioned together, making it broken down into manageable tasks.
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Maintaining a Social Life
Feeling like you have too much to do and too little time to see your friends is exactly what you want to avoid. Keeping a good social life is not only important for development as a teenager to an adult but also for well-being. How is anything going to seem fun if you’re constantly swimming through workloads of homework and work shifts?
You need something to look forward to, (i.e. plans made with your friends). It is like a reward, after finishing what needs to be done, there is an incentive for something you look forward to. Whatever this is to you, everyone has a different idea of what they want to do, and how/ who they socialise with.
The main reason for keeping your social life in order alongside your other commitments is that your brain and body both need balance to perform well. Spending time with your friends will be a chance to relieve stress and reset your brain, ready for when you next plan to focus on school work or extracurriculars. Alongside this, seeing your friends may also inspire ideas and reinforce your learning approaches. It is still important to remember that downtime is immensely important and should not be under-prioritised.

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Keeping Up With Studies
The idea of leaving homework last minute, or constantly moving the time you’re going to do it forward by a few hours, may seem tempting, but it is always best to get it out of the way asap! I aim to complete homework the same day it is set (if possible- of course spend longer on lengthier tasks) by a rule of thumb, if a task will take less than 4 hours then I will aim to get it complete on that day.
If you’re leaving work to build up through the week then you’re going to suffer a busy, non-socialised, weekend buried in textbooks and papers. By splitting up work and completing it as soon as possible before it adds up, you’ll avoid this and in the long run, have more spare time!
As mentioned previously, my top tip for this is to use a planner and mark when everything is due, and when you’re going to complete it. This way you will have a visual of your tasks and due dates, making it easiest to keep on top of everything!

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Balancing the 3
To conclude, schoolwork is not made to be easy, or quick-paced, so yes, it may feel as if all you have time to do is work. The reality is, that you can balance your work alongside other tasks. Schoolwork is a commitment and therefore, can be time-consuming and you’d rather be doing other things.
At the end of the day, if it is not completed then you’ll only have a teacher consistently asking if you’ve done your work, it may seem a little patronising at times. Your best bet is to stay consistent, stay on top of work, and remain organised and well-balanced. It will always pay off positively and be worth the effort, even if it does not always feel like that in the moment.