A Quick Guide to Balancing Chores With Studying

Higher education takes up a lot of your time. Between classes, homework, meetings, and study sessions, you’re booked. Because of that, you might feel like the basic to-dos in your life fall by the wayside, such as cleaning dishes, doing laundry, and making your bed. After a while, being behind on these tasks can make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. We’re here to help. Here’s a quick guide to balancing chores with studying.

Block Off Time for Each Task

Time management is your best friend when juggling chores and studying. If you have a planner or calendar on your desk or phone, use it! Create a schedule that dedicates specific blocks of time to each task.

For example, reserve a half-hour in the morning and evening for tidying up. During those periods, don’t study. But after those sessions end, put down the rag or broom and return to the books. Sticking to these time blocks ensures that chores don’t eat into your academic work and vice versa.

Do the Big Stuff First

Identify which tasks are the most time-consuming or important and tackle those first. Whether it’s deep-cleaning the bathroom or detailing your neglected car, getting the big chores out of the way early means you won’t have them hanging over your head when you study. Likewise, studying early for an exam means you won’t be anxious about reviewing the materials while you wash the dishes.

Plan these larger tasks during times when you have the most energy and time. Front-loading your day and week with the most significant responsibilities allows for more relaxed, productive evenings.

Try Multitasking When Possible

Certain chores require less mental effort, making them perfect opportunities for multitasking. For instance, maybe you could listen to your lecture recordings or review flashcards while folding laundry or cooking dinner. Multitasking can reduce the feeling of time slipping away while doing mundane tasks.

Practice Being Focused

When it’s time to study, study. When it’s time to clean, clean. This way, you can make the most of the time you allocated for yourself and do your best work with each project.

Put your phone on silent, close unnecessary tabs, and concentrate fully on the task at hand. By staying present, you’ll complete chores more quickly and retain more information while studying. Training yourself to focus on one activity at a time takes practice but pays off with more productive days.

Know What Can Slide and What Can’t

Not everything on your to-do list is equally important, and that’s okay. Some chores can slide for a day or two without major consequences. For instance, postponing vacuuming your bedroom floor one more night won’t hurt, but skipping a major study session before an exam likely will.

Learn to distinguish between tasks that demand immediate attention and those that can wait. Adjusting your mindset this way makes it easier to prioritize when things get busy.

Balancing chores and studying is famously no easy task. However, being on top of both realms of your life will make you feel better in the long run. It will make you feel in control, and a clean space will contribute to focus and happiness. By blocking off time, tackling the big tasks first, multitasking smartly, staying focused, and knowing when to ease up, you can maintain a productive balance.

Image Credentials: photo by Prostock-studio, license #678374166