How to Manage It All: Student-Athletes Edition

Being a student is always a challenge. But, being a student-athlete is twice the challenge. If you are studying at college and, at the same time, participating in sports, you have to balance out your lectures and piles of homework with everyday training and regular games. And at the same time, you also want to have some time left for rest, family and friends, hobbies, and other things that matter to you.- Manage It All

But, how can one possibly manage it all? The good news is that there are millions of students who do just that. They somehow manage to study and do sports at the same time. But, not all of them do it effectively. In this article, we will give you the top seven tips that will help you be a successful student-athlete who performs great both in school and out in the field. Let’s dive in!

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What is the biggest problem facing all student-athletes? Without a doubt, it is a hefty academic load that can be rather hard to manage when you are busy not only studying but doing sports as well.

The majority of young people are doing their best to handle everything on their own. They train heavily during the day and then pull all-nighters to get their homework done. And as a result, they most often either face burnout or fail in both directions.

But, there is a much better way to manage it all! Often, it’s much better to ask someone, “please, write my paper” and get professional help than try to cope with everything on your own and fail in all spheres. Remember that you don’t have to be alone in your struggle. So, when there are situations when you need someone to help you academically, don’t be afraid to ask for help. By doing so, you will be able to manage your load easier and ensure the best results!

1. Prioritize

The next tip every young athlete should know about, and use is to always sort out their priorities wisely. Engaged both in studies and sports, it can be pretty hard to figure out where to start and what tasks should come as your top priority. And the only way to tackle all your responsibilities effectively is to learn how to prioritize.

To do this right, regularly write down all tasks and responsibilities you have every day or week. Then, carefully analyze them all to see what tasks are the most important and which can be postponed till later. And most importantly, stick to your priorities list.

Although it can be tempting to take care of something easier or lower in terms of priority before everything else, don’t do that if you want to be successful in all spheres. Teach yourself to check off the big-ticket items from your to-do list first and then take care of the rest.

1. Set Goals

The only way to do great both in college and in sports is to keep your motivation high at all times. So, the next tip we have for you is to set goals.

Setting goals is one of the best ways to keep yourself motivated every day. As an athlete, you should know well how motivating it is when you have a clearly-defined goal. After all, when you get out on the field, you always have some goals to achieve, for example, to score points, make a touchdown, etc. Now, all you need to do is to use the same goal-oriented system in your day-to-day life.

Set smart and attainable goals for everything you do, including your studies, sports, and other things. And, don’t hesitate to reward yourself for every goal you’ve accomplished. This trick will help you keep moving forward and achieve even more!

1. Get on a Schedule

When you are on a sports team, you have all your athletic routines planned and scheduled very carefully. Typically, you will always have training at the same times and days. And all your games are also scheduled far in advance. This way, you can manage it quite easily because you know exactly what you will need to do and when you will need to do it.

We advise applying the same approach to your studies and other chores. Plan everything carefully and get on a schedule. Also, don’t hesitate to create personal daily rituals that will help you get in the right mood and stay motivated every day. These simple tips are the basics of time management. And they really work, so don’t neglect them.

1. Build Good Relationships With Your Professors

Let’s face it – no matter how hard you try to keep your student-athlete life on track, there might be some things that you miss out of sight or simply can’t cope with. When this happens, you will probably expect your professors to show some understanding and compassion. But, they will only show them if you are in a good relationship.

So, one more tip you should use is to get to know your professors and establish good and trusted relationships with them. This will really help you manage everything well. After all, a professor who is your friend won’t mind helping you catch up on the program or giving you a deadline extension if necessary.

1. Leave Enough Time for Self-Care

Although the importance of good self-care should be obvious to all of you, many young people tend to forget or neglect it when trying to keep up with everything. Such an approach won’t take you far. So, here is another tip – always ensure that you leave enough time for self-care.

This includes leaving enough time for sleep, personal routines, hobbies, and other things that will help you feel good physically and mentally. No matter how busy you are, don’t give up on self-care. After all, it is impossible to succeed without maintaining good physical and mental health.

1. Remember Why You Went to College

Finally, there is one last piece of advice that will help you get and stay on the right track. No matter how much you enjoy doing sports, always remember why you went to college in the first place.

Unless you are seriously planning to have a career in sports, the chances are that you went to college to study and earn a degree. If that’s true, do never downplay the “student” part of your life. Simply put, don’t let your academics fall down to the bottom of your priorities list. Instead, keep it at the top, and don’t let anything get in the way of your success.

Pro Tip: By the way, even if you really are planning a career as an athlete, don’t forget that scouts will never see you play if you are falling behind academically. Don’t forget that schools can suspend you from sports for some time if you underperform.

The Bottom Line

Without any doubt, being a student-athlete isn’t a piece of cake. It takes huge determination, patience, and hard work to perform well both academically and in sports. But, with your priorities and goals set right, as well as with other tips from this guide, you should be able to set yourself up for success.

Use the tips and tricks from this article to find a balance and manage it all with ease. Good luck!