Meeting life’s demands can be a real challenge. If you’re juggling a job, family time, a social life, and other responsibilities, you know how tough it can be. And if you’re a current student or are thinking about going to school, the pressure to balance your education on top of everything else can feel overwhelming.

But it is possible to organize school, work, and your personal life at the same time. It takes some discipline, but you can balance education with work and healthy social life. Here are some tips for managing it all successfully:

1. Make Regular To-Do Lists

Create a to-do list to stay organized when you juggle multiple responsibilities. At the beginning of each week or even each day, write down a realistic list of all the tasks you need to complete. Include your school assignments, appointments, and other tasks, like paying a bill or running an errand. Before you make time for friends or family, make sure that every task is checked off. If you find there’s just too much on your list, be willing to modify it. You want to be productive, but you also need time for yourself.

2. Set Your Priorities

When you work and go to school, you need to set priorities every day. This should go hand-in-hand with your to-do list. Every morning, make a list of the tasks you must get done before you can relax at the end of the day, or hang out with friends. For example, if you have a final exam the following afternoon, studying for the test should be a higher priority than shopping for a friend’s birthday present, or starting a homework assignment for next week.

3. Create a Schedule

Use a planner or calendar app to track your class schedule, your work schedule, upcoming appointments, and time you carve out to spend with friends or family. If someone invites you to do something at the last minute, one glance at your schedule will tell you whether you have time, or whether you’re already booked. You can leave some room for flexibility in your schedule, but make sure that your most important tasks are scheduled first.

4. Take Care of Yourself

When you’re trying to balance work, school, and your personal life, it’s easy to get stressed out. Take care of yourself to ensure your wellbeing, even if it feels like the least of your concerns. At least once a week, add self-care time to your schedule. Relax at home, enjoy a favorite hobby, explore a new place, cook your favorite meal, or do whatever makes you feel happy and at ease. Use this time to reset and recharge so you can be as productive as possible for the week ahead.

At YTI Career Institute in Pennsylvania, we care about the wellbeing of our students, and that includes finding a healthy balance between education, work, and fun. We offer a wide variety of degree programs with online lecture, hands-on training, unique externships, and job placement assistance after graduation. Learn more about the career training programs available at YTI. Find a campus near you.