Alina perched on the weathered brown bench in the campus quad, joining her friend Giada for lunch between classes. A single tear trickled down Alina’s cheek; she rapidly brushed it away, busying herself with her backpack, in hopes that Giada wouldn’t notice. 

“Hey, what happened?” Giada gently asked, laying her half-eaten turkey sandwich aside. 

The torrent of tears unleashed; Alina took a deep breath to steady herself. “It’s … it’s just everything. I just failed a math test because I forgot about it. Jason wanted to hang out last night, so, you know, I just forgot. I’m stressed out because my work times keep changing and I have a ton of schoolwork coming due. There is a church retreat next weekend I’ve been looking forward to. My mom wants me to have lunch with my grandma soon and I don’t know when to fit that in, and now that I’m in college, she wants me to pay my car insurance and phone bill. And there’s Jason; I really like him. Plus, my other friends want me to go up to the city with them on Saturday, but my mom wants me to see my grandma. And I have that retreat. I just don’t know how to balance it all. I feel like I’m letting everybody down and I don’t know what to do about it.” 

Does this sound familiar to you? Between academics, work, sports, church activities, family and friends, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed and feel like you are losing control of your time, schedule and sanity. 

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take back control of your schedule and regain your peace of mind. Here are a few simple strategies that can help.

1. Write It Down

The most efficient way to make sure you remember all the things is to get all the details that are swimming in your head out and write them down. Your phone has a calendar feature you can use to schedule things like bill payments, assignments and tests, work shifts and plans with friends and family. Or you may prefer the traditional and old-fashioned method of using a paper planner to keep all your plans in one easy-to-see place. Choose the method that works best for you. Commit yourself to getting all the things out of your head and in one place where you can see and manage them. 

2. Create a Routine

Having a steady schedule helps you to feel less overwhelmed because you know your work expectations and can anticipate your paychecks. Most employers accept schedule planning sheets or take your provided availability into consideration when scheduling you to work. Add your class and work schedules to your calendar as your base and build your plans from there. Note specific times to study and to spend free time with friends and family. Block these out in your calendar. 

3. Avoid Multi-Tasking

Focus on one task at a time. Tempting as it may be to study for a test while you’re working out, resist that urge. It may sound counter-productive, but your brain really does work better if you focus on and complete one thing at a time. You’ll remember more things and get things done faster. Use a timer to complete tasks; set it for 30 minutes to complete a task. This tricks your brain into a sense of urgency so you can better focus in shorter bursts to accomplish more. 

4. It’s OK to Say No

Sometimes you need some downtime, or time and space for quiet in your busy life. Battle through the FOMO (fear of missing out). It is OK to say no to nonessential demands on your time. That trip to the city with your friends can be scheduled for another weekend. If your schedule is full, it’s OK to say no to picking up extra shifts at work. Nobody will be mad at you for valuing your own time and mental capacity. 

5. Rest is Necessary

As much as you think you can do all the things all the time, making regular time to rest is essential to your physical and mental health. Prioritize time to eat healthy meals and to have some downtime and enough sleep—it’s not being lazy. Rest is critical to your well-being. 

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus regularly takes time away from His ministry to pray and to rest. “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’” (Mark 6:31, NIV). His invitation to you to come away with Him and rest still applies today. 

This time in your life is exciting and full of the promise of hope for the future that God has planned for you. Enjoy your days with less stress on yourself by implementing these time management strategies.

This article was originally titled “Clock It” in the September 2024 issue of Peer Magazine.