Five Ways to Achieve a Good Work-Life Balance as a Student in the Philippines

In the fast-paced environment of the Philippines, balancing your work, studies, and personal life as a student can be a significant challenge, especially with heavy workloads and limited time and energy.


Thus, properly allocating your time to specific tasks and responsibilities is crucial for any student who wants to achieve a harmonious work-life balance.

Whether you're a student competing for honors or a student juggling both work and academic responsibilities, having a good work-life balance not only helps you with stress but also aids you in executing your various tasks with more efficiency and effectiveness.

Here are five ways to achieve an excellent work-life balance as a student in the Philippines through these specific time management methods:

1) Utilize the 80/20 Principle (Pareto Principle)

• Identify the tasks that yield the highest results.
• Focus on completing these high-impact tasks first.
• Minimize time spent on less productive activities.

The 80/20 Principle suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. You can achieve more in less time by identifying and focusing on the most impactful tasks. This principle benefits workers and students who need to manage multiple responsibilities.

As a student with various tasks and duties, applying this principle can help you identify which activities contribute the most to your academic success.

You can optimize your study time and improve your performance by focusing on high-impact tasks, such as studying key concepts, completing important assignments, and preparing for exams.

This approach allows you to prioritize effectively, reducing stress and increasing efficiency in your academic endeavors.

2) Adopt the Two-Minute Rule

• Identify tasks that can be done quickly (emails, small chores, etc.).
• Complete these tasks right away instead of postponing them.

The Two-Minute Rule, popularized by David Allen in his book "Getting Things Done," is a simple yet effective method. The rule states that if a task can be completed in two minutes or less, do it immediately. This helps prevent small tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming.

As a student, you may have many items to complete on your checklist, and often, many of these items can be finished with minimal effort and energy.

By quickly addressing minor tasks, such as organizing your notes or creating outlines for projects, you can keep your workload manageable and maintain a clear focus on more substantial assignments.

This method prevents procrastination and frees up mental space, allowing you to concentrate on critical academic activities without the distraction of unfinished small tasks.

3) Apply the Eisenhower Matrix

Create a square and divide it into four categories:

• Urgent and vital: Tasks you will do immediately.
• Important but not urgent: Tasks you will schedule to do later.
• Urgent but not important: Tasks you will delegate if possible.
• Not urgent and not important: Tasks you will eliminate.

The Eisenhower Matrix is a time management tool that helps you prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. Applying this as a student ensures you focus your time and energy on the most critical activities.

Likewise, you can promptly address critical academic responsibilities by prioritizing urgent and vital tasks.

As a result of delegating your tasks in terms of urgency, you may free more time for your studies and personal life.

4) Use the Pomodoro Technique

• Set a timer for 25 minutes and work on a single task without interruptions.
• Take a 5-minute break after the timer goes off.
• Repeat the process, and take a more extended break after four cycles.

The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time management method that can help you stay focused and productive.

This technique involves working for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. After completing four "Pomodoros," take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.

As a student, this method helps maintain concentration and prevents burnout by ensuring regular breaks.

5) Implement Time Blocking

• At the start of the week, plan your schedule by assigning blocks of time for each task or activity.
• Use a calendar or planner to organize these blocks visually.
• Stick to the schedule as closely as possible, adjusting for unexpected events.

Time blocking is a powerful technique where you divide your day into blocks of time, each dedicated to a specific task or group of tasks.

This method helps maintain focus and ensures you allocate enough time for all your responsibilities, including work, study, and personal activities.

By using time blocking as a student, you can gain better control over your day, reduce procrastination, and ensure that you dedicate appropriate time to all aspects of your student life.

Overall, achieving a good work-life balance as a student in the Philippines is a significant yet attainable challenge. With heavy workloads and limited time and energy, it is crucial to properly allocate your time to various tasks and responsibilities to achieve harmony.

By implementing these various time management methods, you can optimize your productivity and ensure you have time for your studies and personal life.

Ultimately, these strategies will help you prioritize high-impact tasks, quickly handle minor responsibilities, organize your priorities, maintain focus, and allocate your time effectively.

- Russell Bryce Dy, UP Cebu Intern

Source
1.The 80/20 Rule: How To Implement It In The Workplace - Blog UJJI.
2.Time Management Tips: 5 Proven Strategies for Prioritizing Tasks and Managing Your Day.
3.The Eisenhower matrix and taskblitz - taskblitz.com - project focused team collaboration software.
4.The benefits of short breaks after cycles of work.
5.Prioritizing Tasks and Managing Time Effectively: A Guide for High-Performance Leaders – Meaningful Leaders.