Money. The supposed root of all evils. Yet without it, where would we all be? I have seen what happens when money runs out and what it does to those affected by it. There was a time period growing up where money was incredibly tight—so much so I remember being so nervous to ask to go on a field trip at school because I knew the five to 30 dollars were needed elsewhere. I strive to never hit such a low again, even though I know life enjoys throwing curve balls my way. But I’m not going to lie. Staying away from this pit while trying to balance college, marriage and enjoying life is incredibly difficult. In fact, I used to think it was impossible. How could someone manage all of these aspects of life while completing a 40-hour work week? These four points can help you balance it all.
Invest In A Planner
One of the most feared words in our vocabularies: Invest. I’ve always found ways to get by without a planner, a cheap planner (meaning literally $1.50), or using the one on my phone. Yet I was never able to get everything going for me at the same time. Find a planner you are excited to open, excited to write in and has every element you could possible need. Pinterest, Hobby Lobby, Joan's, etc. are all great places to start if you are stuck. Having a planner you love can be the difference between saying you will do your homework at 5:00 and actually doing it.
Say No
We all have that one thing we just “can’t say no to.” We all know how costly this can be—time and money wise. Eating out a few times a week adds up. Watching the new TV show adds up. Learn to say no, even when it’s not easy or popular. Will it suck now? Probably. But you’ll thank yourself when you graduate and actually have good grades and money in your pocket.
Love Your Job
Confession time: I’m a semi-workaholic. I absolutely love being able to spend time on a project and seeing benefits—both tangible and monetarily. However, when I get so caught up in the monetary aspect, my job starts to drag me down in every aspect of my life. If you take that leap of faith to quit and find a job you absolutely love or transfer to a different department, you will see your life become more enjoyable while making good, if not better, money.
Spend Time With You
What was it you loved doing as a kid and teen? Do you still implement those things in your life? Do you take the time every day to develop yourself and get to know who you are? Reading an uplifting book, running for 20 minutes, cooking a delectable dessert or playing the piano are all examples of activities most college students once loved yet have discontinued practicing. Spending time with yourself will help you know who you are becoming and change what you need to change to be whoever it is you want to be.
In the end, just remember that no matter what is going on, you will always be the writer of your own story. You get to determine what characters you play in your book of life because you can balance it all. My name is Meghan Harris. I’m a student, daughter, wife, doggy-mom and semi-workaholic. And I am learning to balance my life.
