Balancing school together with extracurricular activities is nothing less than winning an uphill battle. Amidst the chaos of homework, soccer practice, dance rehearsals, and that occasional need for sleep, there’s barely enough time left for oneself. However, balancing school with extracurricular activities is not impossible, and many kids are doing that!
The reality is, nowadays, kids are busier than ever. In fact, according to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, about 57% of middle school students participate in after-school activities. And this figure skyrockets by the time kids reach high school.
This is why it has become important to figure out how to manage time effectively without sacrificing grades, hobbies, or peace.
Read this article to explore the top ten strategies to help kids balance school life while also ensuring their participation in after-school activities.
6 Helpful Tips To Balance School and Extracurricular Activities
Read this article to explore the top six strategies to help kids balance school life while also ensuring their participation in after-school activities.
Set Goals
Setting and prioritizing goals is a simple concept. However, half the battle is defining the priorities.
The best way is to sit with your child and help them figure out their goals and speak to them about their extracurricular interests. While being a perfectionist in everything sounds great, it’s too good to be true.
After all, having many responsibilities does not let you give your best to a single activity. Therefore, deciding what matters the most is another important aspect when it comes to school-life balance. And students who are effectively able to balance activities often perform better in both areas.
If you’re worried for your kids grades, know that according to Education Next, students involved in extracurriculars tend to have higher GPAs.
Weekly Schedules
While this approach may sound like a ‘Type A’ concept to some, it actually makes a big difference in staying on track. You can help your child create detailed weekly planners using planner and organization apps to block out time for school, homework, and after-school activities.
You can even ask your kids to pencil in downtime too. This way, having a clear idea about how the week will pan out significantly reduces stress and helps avoid last-minute chaos. After all, most kids often forget that other things are important too.
No to Overcommitting
No one—student or adult—should sign up for everything.
Yes, it may sound interesting to join every club at your school or participate in every event that comes along the way, but that fact that’s worth noting is that overscheduling leads to burnout.
Did you know that almost 50% of students experience stress-related health issues due to overscheduling?
Therefore, it is essential to make your child learn to say ‘no’ sometimes.
Multitasking Is The Key
Homework on the bus?
Study during lunch?
Multitasking is indeed one of the most important skills for balancing school and activities.
So the next time you notice your child waiting until after practice or rehearsal to start that mountain of homework, encourage them to handle the school assignments wherever they can. This way they will not just have those extra few minutes to relax after school.
Study Time Is Important Too
Studies must not be compromised with extracurricular activities. So whenever it's time to hit the books, every distraction must be gone. After all, phones, tablets, and siblings asking what’s for dinner can wait. A quiet and dedicated study place for your child can significantly help in improving their concentration.
According to a study, kids are distracted by technology an average of 6 minutes out of every 15 minutes spent on homework.
In short, homework time means homework time, and a rule for no TikTok breaks until the work is done can be a beneficial approach.
Speak to Teachers
The emphasis on communication is underrated.
Whether your child is struggling to prepare for the upcoming test with a big event, encouraging your child to speak to his teachers can go a long way.
And if your child feels overwhelmed at times, remind them that they don’t necessarily have to do everything on their own.
Takeaway
While balancing school life together with extracurricular activities may seem overwhelming for kids, with a little pre-planning, everything is doable. Let your child take one step at a time when it comes to practicing and learning time management skills and, more importantly, enjoying their journey. At the end, the result is not what matters but the efforts.
