Juggling Multiple Commitments

by Karwei

IN WHICH KARWEI SHARES HOW SHE OVERCAME THE HUGE PROBLEM OF HAVING VARIOUS COMPETING RESPONSIBILITIES AND NOT ENOUGH TIME. JUGGLING COMMITMENTS IS QUITE AN ART, AND EXPERIENCE, OR READING SOMEONE ELSE’S EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER.

Juggling multiple commitments (e.g. multiple CCAs, studies, volunteer work etc.) can be very tiring and draining, and without proper time management it can often result in a lot of frustration on your part, especially when it takes up a lot of your energy, especially when your first priority is as a student, and your parents don't quite understand where all that time and energy is going into! Not balancing your commitments well can mean that you shortchange your studies, as well as your other duties, or CCA.

In my secondary four year, I was juggling commitments like prefect duties, softball training, and computer club sessions on top of my school work. I found it useful to prioritize when I had clashing commitments. School work came at the top of my list, followed by prefect duties, computer club sessions and finally softball. For me, it meant that my schedule was a lot more packed, but it also meant that I had to learn how to make use of whatever remaining time I had for my studies, family and friends. It was a very busy time, but also a very fulfilling one.

 Try to complete any homework that you may have ahead of the deadlines set so that you have more time to settle your other commitments. For example, if I had both duties as well as homework to hand in the next day, I would have done my homework the day before leaving that afternoon free for my duties.

If you still find yourself short of time, or simply don't have enough energy to do a task well, I find that people are very willing to help out once you ask. Teachers are usually willing to give you an extension of a few more days given a valid reason, and provided that you don't ask for an extension on the day your work is due! If you know that you are unable to cope with the workload, ask for an extension as soon as possible.

Another avenue you can turn to for help is your friends! I find that as peers, it is easier to approach them for help in catching up with homework if you've missed out on. They are also willing to help you cover your duties if you need that extra two hours to tackle some other commitment. I had batchmates who offered to take on that extra morning duty for me when I was bogged down with extra assignments, or when it was competition season. When it was their turn to have a heavy workload, I returned the favor by taking up some of their duties. By covering for one another, you ensure that you aren't stretched too thinly and you get to spend more time doing a task well, instead of many tasks poorly.