For the average student, trying to balance your school activities, homework, sports, social life, and maybe even your job can prove to be very difficult to handle. Have you ever procrastinated on an assignment and waited to complete it the night before even though your teacher warned you it would be too big a task to finish in one night? Did that hit too close to home? Trust me, we’ve all been there.

However, here are some tips to help you keep your head straight:

• Organize: Yes, writing all of your homework due for the next day on the corner of that scrap paper may seem like a bright idea at the time, however, in the long run, it will not do you any justice. Try to utilize a planner or get a dry- erase board for home in order to plan out your week/month. It’s incredibly relieving when you can finally scratch out each activity that you’ve completed and it will also help you to stay on top of your tasks. 
• Plan Ahead: If you know that you’ll be going out with friends the next day, try to complete assignments early to save you the trouble of procrastination. This goes hand-in-hand with organization; but, planning ahead helps you to realize the reality of how much time you have for something and it will help you to decide how to manage your time.
• Sleep: We are all guilty of pulling an all-nighter because the new season of a show recently came out or you where stuck doing homework all night, however, sleep is important. It is actually proven that teenagers are second in place of people who need the most sleep (right next to babies). Try to get at least seven hours of sleep a night in order to be the best version of yourself that you can be. 
• Pamper Yourself: Treat yourself right! It’s okay to take time for yourself, whether that be throwing on a simple face mask or allowing yourself to play video games for a couple of hours. Make sure you remember to love yourself and treat yourself how you want others to treat you!
• Clear Your Mind: It’s not healthy to be working around the clock constantly without any breaks. Allow yourself to breathe and process life around you. This can be done by mediating, working out, going on a walk, or even just listening to music. Allow yourself to recover from the stress and recharge.
• Be Sociable: Make time for your friends! Life is all about your responsibilities make time for those who truly care for you. Plan to go to the mall, movies, park, etc. and have fun

During this school year, I hope you take care of yourself before anything else. Self- Care may not seem like a big deal, but, that is COMPLETELY FALSE! Self- Care affects the way you function in the long run, so it should be taken more seriously. Make sure to practice taking care of yourself in your daily routine and you’ll notice the difference it makes. Good luck!