Navigating the balance between prioritizing your school work, employment and mental health can be one of the most difficult aspects of high school. In all this chaos, we tend to incorrectly estimate how much time to devote to a very valuable element of our lives: human connection. Some people choose to overinvest in their social lives, completely neglecting their grades and ultimately jeopardizing their future. Others might spend arguably too much time on their schoolwork or part-time job, which can cause significant stress. I won’t claim to have this problem solved, but I do think it’s important to recognize that there are several factors to consider when attempting to figure out the healthiest possible balance.

First, healthy friendships require maintenance. Even those who have found a good balance between their studies and social lives might still be endangering their mental health by dedicating themselves to unhealthy friendships. You have to surround yourself with people that you genuinely think are good people, and consistently make an effort to connect with them. This can mean spending time with them, attempting to call and reach out and providing them support. By making and maintaining good friendships, you can guarantee that the time you spend with them will help you gain happiness.

Second, it is vital to handle school work in a timely manner. This isn’t to say procrastination doesn’t work, because it most certainly does. I know we’re always told not to put off until tomorrow what can be done today, but sometimes that mentality is draining and leads to burn out. However, if you’re going to procrastinate, you have to be clever about it. Having a huge assignment over your head without an idea of what it requires can cause unnecessary stress, but once you know when you’ll do assignments, even if it’s putting it off, you’ll have an easier time taking a social or mental break.

Third, between friends, school and all the other complicated and draining aspects of the high school experience, it is important to take time for yourself and maintain a healthy sleep schedule. For those who gain energy from being around people, taking time for yourself is directly tied to being social. For those who lose energy by being around people, it can benefit your mental health to recognize that joy can be derived from taking an appropriately timed break from both people and productivity. 

Different people are going to have different school-life balances that work best for them, and the sooner you figure it out, the better!